


Love and Mischief

by Ciardha



Series: Locksley-Mills saga [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-23
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-08-16 20:37:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 31,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8116681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ciardha/pseuds/Ciardha
Summary: After over three years of a more peaceful life in Storybrooke two unlikely allies launch a plan of retribution on the heroes of Storybrooke- causing a wave of  chaos and mischief in the town. Sequel to "No Regrets". Story 2 of a planed trilogy.





	1. Love and Mischief

Love and Mischief  
Chapter 1  
(3 1/2 years after the conclusion of “No Regrets”)

“Daddy!” The two little girls squealed and ran full tilt toward their father as he closed the door behind him...  
Robin braced himself for the double impact with a grin, then swept both girls into his arms. 

Roland raced downstairs, phone still in hand, and hugged his father. Robin set the girls down and hugged him back. 

Henry walked leisurely down the steps and Regina smiled from the couch, papers on the coffee table- showing she’d been finishing up some paperwork. Robin wasn’t sure if it was from the mayor’s office or more of the endless paperwork for Henry’s college courses. Regina had been relieved that Henry found a reputable online college. He could stay home and get his degree, just attend classes online. But the paperwork was still never ending. Some documentation even had to be magically created.   
Robin looked at this family of Regina and his. Three and half years of no magical attacks on Storybrooke; Nor any malicious magical mischief from Gold, or anyone else, had changed the rhythm of the town. Regina looked more content than he ever recalled. Roland’s nightmares had all but disappeared….

“So what was the emergency today” Regina took in the stains on Robin’s jacket and pants.

“Alexander was stuck up a tree.”

“He’s only five, what was he doing alone in the forest when it was almost dark?”

Robin sighed. “A bet from his classmates. He wasn’t alone long. They came to get me when he couldn’t get down.”

“What was the bet?”

“To climb the ‘evil tree’.”

“Evil tree?”

“The tree limbs are deformed; they look like arms reaching out to grab someone. Apparently there is a story among the younger children that this tree has eaten people.”

“So they dared him to climb the tree.”

“Yes. He became frightened when he looked down and saw how far up he was.”

“This is Storybrooke. Perhaps I should go out tomorrow with you and make sure there isn’t any kind of nasty surprise locked inside the tree.”

Robin nodded. “I think it’s just childish imagination, but it’s worth being sure. Children sometimes pick up on things.”

“Especially if they are magically inclined. I haven’t had any of the little ones in my weekly class this year. I don’t know if any of Alexander’s classmates have magic.”

Regina was glad now Emma and Snow had roped her into doing the magic knowledge class. The first year parents were a bit wary, but she did have both her boys, Rowena’s two children, Henry’s girlfriend Violet and a few of their classmates. Rebecka helped her come up with a few questions to ask to help find the children that had possible magical abilities. Rebecka then came in the next week and identified what color element type the magically inclined were. 

They quickly discovered, in constrast to the Enchanted Forest, there were more healer types among the children than other types. Rebecka thought it might have to do with the nature of Storybrooke’s ley line. One of the first surprises was that Violet had a very low level healers magic potential. Rebecka described her element color as a cornflower blue.  
“If you like you could come by my clinic and I could train you.” Rebecka smiled at Violet.

“I’d like to, but I don’t know how my dad will react. Magic makes him uncomfortable.”

“We could wait till you’re a bit older. Maybe give him time to get used to the idea.”

Violet nodded.

“What I could do now is a simple test to see where your strength lies. If it’s okay with Regina I’ll come back with a few things next week”

“Please do” Regina agreed.

The next week Rebecka brought out a handful of mint stalks. “I have a feeling this will be our answer.” She handed the mint to Violet.

“What do you want me to do with it?” Violet looked confused.

“Close your hand firmly, but not tightly over them.”

“Okay.”

“Now close your eyes and concentrate on the mint. Do you feel anything different?”

“Yeah. Like there’s some energy wanting me to...pull on it?”

“Good, go ahead and pull that energy, whatever way it wants you to.”

The mint in Violet’s hand briefly glowed a cornflower blue.”

“Wow, that was cool” Henry blurted out.

“What happened?” Violet said, opening her eyes.

“You just brought out its magical properties. Congratulations. That’s a very useful magic.”

“It is?”

“Oh yes! I can do that, but it’s not my strength. While the natural healing properties are available anyone, the magical properties must be drawn out by someone with healing magic. Perhaps when you get older you could help me out at the clinic.”  
It had taken a year, but Hank Morgan finally relented. Since then Violet assisted Rebecka for a few hours at the clinic on Sundays. Violet had also decided she wanted to get a pharmacy degree. Luckily, she could pursue the academic part of her degree online as well. 

It was discovered Henry had a bit of magic as well. After the class, Regina had suggested to Rebecka and Tinkerbelle that it was due to him being the author.

“No. Rebecka shook her head. “Being the author just magnified it. You might be shocked. Although it’s far weaker than yours, he’s a radiant heart fire element.”

“Most the authors had some minimal magic. Maybe that’s why most were so unhappy with their lives in the Land Without Magic, and quickly agreed to become the author. They knew they were different.” Tinkerbelle added.

Regina remembered back when they were in Neverland when Henry got the label: “Heart of the truest believer” His evil scheming great grandfather Pan, must have known….” 

“Radiant heart fire element seems to be random, it rarely is passed down.” Rebecka continued.

“No one I’ve ever heard of had it, much less in my family” Regina agreed. “Emma doesn’t have it either and no one in her family that I know of.”

“Emma’s case is unusual. It’s not common for an adult with that much magic to show no element. Hers may have been lost when her parents did that spell before she was born.” 

“Making their choice even more tragic than it already was.” Regina shook her head at the sad realization. “Do you think she’ll ever develop an element magic?” 

“It’s possible, but it would take some research to find out. They’d probably know on Avalon. Maybe even be able to recover her natural element. But unless she asks I wouldn’t tell her. I wouldn’t want to give her false hope. Also she’s done surprisingly well without an element. Her system may have simply adjusted to not having an element. Pursuing getting one might do more harm than good.”

After what had happened during the quest to bring Robin back, he had also asked Rebecka to tell him what his low level magic was. 

Rebecka faintly smiled, “I can see a pine green wound around an earth brown, you have both aspects of earth magic, even though they are low level. The green probably gives you enough power to successfully use a few healers’ tools, even without training.”

Robin nodded. “I did, when Marion was pregnant with Roland. She became very ill and I cured her with a healing wand. What about the brown part?”

“Charisma. You have that as a leader. There’s just a tinge of earth magic behind it. You also feel a strong connection to nature, don’t you?

“Yes.”

“Looks like you really choose right, Robin, when you took on the park ranger position.” Regina looked at him tenderly.

“It just felt right. Now I understand why.” He wrapped her in his embrace and gave her a soft kiss.

It turned out Roland had inherited Robin’s brown earth magic, but stronger, not quite on a full magic users level, his low level earth magic as having a topaz glow. He definitely had the charismatic magic already and it likely would grow a bit more as he grew up. 

Robin had laughed when he was told “Now we know how he wrapped us around his fingers so easily!” 

“I think we should teach him how to use it responsibly now, though. He’s getting old enough to understand what that means.”

“Yes. It would be an ability that could lead him astray.”  
Regina nodded. “I wouldn’t want someone like Gold manipulating him to use it in ways that he could unknowingly hurt others.”

“Funny, we both were worried about Hope and Faith because they’ll both likely be powerful magic users. We didn’t think Roland might be the vulnerable one." 

“Roland’s a good and kind hearted boy though, Robin, thanks to the way you’ve raised him. I think he’ll understand.”

In the three years since then Roland had proven to be as responsible a boy as Regina had firmly believed he was. There were the occasional slip ups, but both Robin and Regina knew it would be unreasonable to expect a perfect record. 

Recently Hope was showing a few signs of being an active magic user. So Regina had Rebecka come over to check. 

“I probably should check Grace too.”

“Might be a good idea.” Regina agreed.

A few minutes later Rebecka had her answers. “Both your girls are potential healers. Your suspicions about Hope were correct. Her magic has activated. Its low level right now, but activating so young, is a sign she’ll be a powerful magic user.”

“Like Zelena.” 

“But Hope has two loving parents and you’ve broken the curse on your family, and you are a strong magic user. I’m sure Hope will be fine. Her earth element color is a bright periodot.”

“That’s different from Robin’s or Zelena’s, Her smoke color was a dark emerald.”

“Was probably a bright emerald before she choose the darkness, Hope’s element color is her own. It’s possible she may have a bit of air element. Air elements are usually in the yellow range. If she does it will mature later. Her earth healer element is very dominant.”

“What about Grace? You said before she was born you could see a tinge of blue, so water element, possibly a healer.”

“It’s not active yet, but it’s a soft amethyst now.”

“Amethyst? Was that because of me? Did I taint her with dark magic?”

“No, not at all. Both girls have no signs of any dark magic taint. What’s happened is she’s a blend like her father, but different elements. Because she will be a powerful magic user they’ve blended. But she’s blended two elements, that’s what made me wonder if Hope had as well. It’s not obvious with Hope. It is with Grace. She’s blended a water healer blue element with a fire element.”

“Fire and water? That sounds like a difficult combination”

“It is. That may be why her power is years away from activating, probably near puberty.”

“Oh lord.”

“It will be a challenging combination. But it’s already blended before her ability to access it will make it far less difficult than it could have been. If was separate like Robin’s, but at her probable power level, she’d be battling two competing impulses. This way her impulses automatically will compromise.”

Their lives were no longer careening from one magical crisis to another, and had more in common with lives other small towns now. Storybrooke, though, would always be a very different kind of town. Regina thought with a smirk, as she watched Robin take off his jacket and head upstairs to change.

On the other side of town, things for Storybrooke were about to change.

“So you definitely can bring them here?” Isaac questioned.  
It was infuriating to not be able to move these storybook characters however he wanted anymore, having to rely on the power of the aggrieved Blue Fairy. His convenient ally of the moment. The woman had actually sought him out. Snuck out of Storybrooke, and somehow found him. She claimed even former authors had magical traces any skilled fairy could track, even in the Land Without Magic. Isaac was dubious but latched onto the idea he had some magic abilities. 

He readily agreed to return to Storybrooke then. Inside that town, any magic he might have he could call on. Isaac was disappointed that his power in Storybrooke seemed to be limited to locating characters in any storybook that might be useful for his and the Blue Fairy’s needs. He couldn’t travel into the book much less bring them here. But she could bring them here.

A bit of chaos and a lot of mischief was headed the heroes way. Even if neither he nor Reul Ghorm, the fairy’s true name, could control the actions of their tools. Ghorm could likely manipulate the newcomers into doing what they needed though. She could openly walk around Storybrooke, he couldn’t. The heroes couldn’t know he was here. The only risk was one of those rebel fairies or the boy could sense him. He would stay hidden until enough chaos was loosed that they’d be too busy to spot him. Then he could do whatever he wished.

“Yes. No real harm will come to anyone, but they’ll learn the consequences of not listening to me. That woman is the daughter of one of the most evil people who ever lived in the Enchanted Forest. Look how she went evil. She’s not to be trusted.”

Isaac nodded, carefully appearing to approve and agree with the Blue Fairy. But, even as much as he hated Regina Mills and the other heroes of Storybrooke and wanted them punished; he remembered quite well it was the Blue Fairy who wanted Regina’s story changed. “The daughter of Cora Mills could never be allowed to be the savior or even a light magic user with the potential of becoming the savior.” The savior could only be from the family she was fairy godmother for. The Blue Fairy wanted to have the savior working for her. That had been her words all those years ago when she had enlisted his aid to change the story. That was the first time he’d so overtly altered the story. Once he saw he could and get away with it, it was easy to change other stories the way he wanted.


	2. Chapter 2

Love and Mischief  
Chapter 2

Regina dreamed...

“Regina you’re pregnant.” Rebecka said

“Again?” Regina looked surprised then smiled. They’d thought Grace was their “miracle baby”

“It’s twins” She smiled but there was a worried look in her eyes.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“There’s some risk. Your age is a minor point, but what’s more worrying is the years of the infertility curse left some scaring on your womb. I’m worried about its elasticity to carry twins to term. Especially since you are over 40 biologically and women over 40 tend to have larger babies.”

“Oh.”

Yeah.” 

Regina then looked resolved. “I want them. I’ll be fine. I carried Grace with no problem, I can do this too.”

“You may need to go to Avalon then.”

“Avalon? What does that have to do with this?”

“You were in Avalon during part of your pregnancy with Grace, right?”

“Yes, but-“

“The water everyone drinks in Avalon is naturally healing. That’s why the adult age so slowly. Why they are all but immortal- according to legend.”

“It didn’t stop the progress of my pregnancy.”

“The age slowing effect doesn’t take hold until full biological adulthood- around age 25. The types and level of hormones that promote the development of the body resist the effects of the healing water. Most skilled healers have a small supply of Avalon water. The effects are known. Outside of Avalon the effects are much weaker and far more temporary. But you spent time on Avalon during your pregnancy. It was long enough to make all the scarring disappear until after Grace was born. But it’s back now. If it was just one baby I’d say the healers here could make sure you’d be fine, but twins really complicate things.”

“If I have to I’ll go to Avalon. But I want to try it staying here. I have faith in everyone to get us through.”

The months swiftly flew by. Regina seemed to be right, she was fine and so were the babies. But one month before the babies were due, it all fell apart. Early labor started and accelerated so quickly there was no chance of anyone opening a portal and getting her to Avalon. Regina and the babies made it through, but her health was permanently damaged. It took months for her to even be able to attempt going down the stairs, and longer still before she made it back to the mayor’s office. Henry blamed Robin for what happened and Roland, Hope and Grace were terrified for a long time that they would lose their mother. They blamed their new siblings for almost killing her.

Regina awoke with a gasp of dismay. She quickly conjured a pregnancy test and fled to the bathroom…

Robin dreamed…

At first they greeted the news of the surprise pregnancy with joy and sheepish smiles to their friends and family members old enough to know how babies were made.

“Six children, you’ll have six children to take care of” Snow chided Robin and Regina, and then shook her head ruefully.

“Henry will be 18 soon. He’s not a child anymore. He’ll be busy with college classes. Roland will be in school part of the day and Hope will be in kindergarten in the fall after the babies are born. Grace will be four before they are born and can go to preschool part of the day- she’ll probably want to so she and Hope can go to school together. Robin and I have handed a household of with two infants and school age children before.” Regina shot back defensively.

“I know, and goodness knows if anyone can handle it, you two can.”

“Thank you.” Robin smiled sheepishly. “We didn’t think Regina could have any more. We thought Grace was a gift.”

Snow smiled kindly. “Apparently when you broke the curse on the Mills women you must have broken the infertility curse as well.”

Regina smiled lopsidedly. “Apparently so.”

The prognosis from Rebecka wasn’t as lighthearted. “This is a big risk. Regina’s womb is damaged permanently from the years of infertility curse. There are large scars; her womb may not be able to expand to hold two full term fetuses. I’ll be blunt; this could kill her before a healer could save her.”

Regina though insisted on continuing the pregnancy.

To Robin’s horror Rebecka’s prediction came true. They were able to save the babies but not Regina. Devastated, he stood at a graveside one baby in his arms, the other in his sister’s. The babies were crying, his two little girls were inconsolable, Roland had silent tears rolling down his cheeks, and Henry stared at him with blame and anger—

“No!” Robin’s eyes shot open. “No” he said softly, tears in his eyes, he wouldn’t let this happen, he would do anything to save her... Robin drifted back into a dream. This time it was a bit different...

“It’s extremely risky” Rebecka gravely informed them.

“I want to continue, I want our babies.” Regina looked determined.

“Can we do this?” Robin looked at Rebecka pleadingly “Tell me there’s something we can do to make sure Regina’s life isn’t in danger.”

“The last trimester you’ll need to be on complete bed rest with at least a low level healer in residence. If there’s even a tiny change in how you feel, the healer needs to immediately call on as many higher level healers as they can right away. Do not attempt to get here or the hospital. Any equipment we might need we’ll transport with us. Even with this the risk is high your health will be permanently compromised.”

“I don’t care. I want to have these babies.” Regina insisted.

Again Rebecka’s dire prediction came true. Regina lived as did the babies. But her health was precarious for months and she never fully recovered. Hope and Grace resented the twins for ruining their mother’s health. Roland took months to get over his fear that he would lose a mother for a second time. Henry blamed Robin for ruining his mother’s health with this unplanned pregnancy and was more distant with the twins than he was with his other siblings...

Robin awoke. “No, I’ll not accept this; there must be something else we can do...” Robin drifted back to sleep. Again they were in Rebecka’s clinic-

“Surely there’s something more we can do. Something where Regina will be okay.”

“Avalon. That’s your only real chance.”

Robin was able to persuade Regina to go to Avalon for the rest of her pregnancy. There the babies and Regina came through the pregnancy safely. But Morgan spoke to them before they returned to Storybrooke.

“These children do have ties to you, but you didn’t have to be their parents. Other family members could have had them and the bond would have been as strong.”

Robin awoke fully this time. Regina was in the bathroom. He got up and went to her.

Regina looked at the test in her hand. She sat back down on the toilet, shuddering with relief; she wasn’t pregnant. Still she’d call Rebecka and ask her to run a full pregnancy test. 

Robin walked in then and saw the test in her hand. “So you had the dreams too. Are you?”

Regina shook her head no. 

Robin sighed with relief. “Maybe I should start wearing a condom.”

“They break.” Regina looked at him morosely

“They do... I warned Henry about that when we talked about...”

Regina looked slightly uncomfortable but then added. “I told Violet that too last year. She said they weren’t yet. Then asked me, even though she worked there, could I go with her to the clinic to get birth control.”

“You did?”

Regina huffed out a short laugh. “I did. It’s not like she could have told Hank.”

Robin grinned. “Barring his first reaction, the poor man would be embarrassed to even walk in there. He’s one of the few that prefers the hospital.”

Regina looked rueful. “Here we were lecturing them though, and they’ve been more responsible than us.”

“We didn’t know there was any chance for more children and you did so well with Grace.”

“I know. But I think I should go on birth control.”

Robin nodded. “But in my dream Morgan told us-“

“We went to Avalon in your dream?”

“The third one.”

“Three? I just had one; we didn’t go to Avalon, no time.”

Robin let out a shuddering breath and sat down on the floor. He looked down and stroked a finger down her leg. “In the first one…I…lost you. The babies lived…you…didn’t”

“Oh Robin” She leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, reached down and caressed the wrist that had his lion tattoo.

“The second, you lived and the babies, but it hurt you…permanently.”

“That was like mine. And the third?”

“We went to Avalon and everything was okay. But after the babies were born Morgan told us that although they were tied to us, we didn’t have to be the ones to have them. No matter who in our family had them, the bond would be as close.”

“Good. I think I have an idea of what to do. Let me talk to Tinkerbell. I think the dreams were to warn us.”

When they went down to breakfast Henry was already up. Regina noticed he looked anxious and tired. “Did you have nightmares last night too?”

“Yeah. Every time I fell back to sleep, and about everyone. Mom? Are you pregnant?” Henry blushed lightly asking her that kind of question.

“So you dreamed about it too. Robin and I did as well. No, I’m not.”

Henry’s shoulders sagged with relief.

“I think we can pretty much confirm someone was warning us now. What dreams did you have about others?” 

Henry looked at his much younger siblings eating the pancakes he’d made, then back at Robin and Regina and shook his head no. 

Regina nodded. 

Henry sighed. “I’m just glad I’m graduated and college hasn’t started yet. I’m really tired, Mom.”  
Robin noticed neither Roland or the girls looked anxious or tired. He whispered to Henry “No nightmares for them?”

“Not that they told me.”

“Thank goodness for small blessings, then.” Regina said softly. 

Regina’s phone buzzed. It was Emma.

“Regina? Did you and Robin have some really vivid nightmares last night? Ones that felt like premonitions?”

“Yes” She said, walking into the living room. “Henry too.”

“Henry? That means the kids too. Did-“

“No. Neither Roland or the girls from how they are acting. Henry asked too.”

“So maybe teens and adults then, not the kids.”

“Possibly. How many that you know?”

“All the adults I’ve talked to.”

“Henry is almost 18 and he’s the author. Whoever did this to us might have considered him an adult because of that.”

“Did he say whether Violet had?”

“Not yet, but she’s already 18, so likely.”

Henry was standing in the doorway. Regina could hear Robin in the breakfast nook with Roland and the girls, distracting them with a funny story. She motioned Henry into the room and handed him the phone.

“Yeah mom, she texted me. She had a couple. Her dad is freaking out about his. Doesn’t want her to leave the house today.”

Emma sighed. “I’ll ask dad if he’ll drive over and talk to Hank.”

“Grandpa and Grandma had nightmares too?”

“Yeah kid, they did. Killian and I did as well. It’s been a rough night for all of us. Regina said you’d had some too.”

“Yeah, about everyone. Mom and Robin think they might be some kind of warning. What they dreamed about hasn’t happened yet.”

“Same here.” 

Regina took the phone back. “We’ll meet here, after the kids are in bed. We’ve gotten too complacent; someone got the drop on us.”

“The question is who. Don’t think it’s Gold. Not his style.”

“Plus he’s not here. Hasn’t shown his face here in over a year. He seemed bored when he was. Visited Belle and Bae, talked to Henry briefly, then left. We’re beneath his notice. He has bigger schemes.”

“Your sister is dead, Sidney’s safely locked up, your friend Mal is reformed-“

“Your friend Lilly, not her style. Keith is too stupid, its not violent enough and its too sophisticated for Albert. Plus neither of them have magic and no one with magic would want to have anything to do with them.”

“I can’t think of anyone else”

“I can, but I don’t think she has that kind of power.”

“She? You think?”

“Possibly. She has the motive, and it’s more her style than anyone else’s, but she doesn’t have the skill or power. At least I’ve seen no evidence, certainly not on this level.”

“So you think someone is allied with her?”

“Likely. Someone from outside of Storybrooke with powerful dream magic that doesn’t know her that well.”

“You think she found someone that powerful in this world, outside of Storybrooke? Convinced them to come here and do this for some reason?”

“Not much a theory, I know. But I know you saw her once crossing back over the town line. She does have motive too.”

“Okay, so she’s top of the suspect list. Anyone else?”

“One, but no one’s seen him for years, and how could he get back in. Plus how could he travel realms and bring someone here. He’s not been the author for quite a while, so doesn’t have the power to do this.”

“Isaac.”

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t you say that Tinkerbell told you that most the authors had some level of magic?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe he never left; we know he’s really skilled at hiding.”

“Possibly.”  
“This kind of pain would fit his M. O.”

“M.O.?”

“Bail Bondman talk, his style.”

“But even if he has a little natural power, this is very powerful stuff. I don’t think even Mal could do this. Nor I.”

“Gold?”

“Maybe he could have that level of power if he found the right spell, but I just don’t think he thinks we’re a threat to him anymore. We’re beneath him.”

“Guess that’s a good thing.”

“For now.”

Emma nodded. Even if he thought they were beneath him and no real threat, if he thought anyone in Storybrooke was trying to thwart his plans he’d attack in an instant. For now he wasn’t in Storybrooke and whatever his big plan was, he hadn’t acted on it. Until they knew what it was and how much a threat it was it would be dumb to tip their hand that Belle was doing her best to try to find out.

After she finished the conversation with Emma, Regina called Rebecka and told her about the nightmares.

“So you had nightmares too. Mulan and I kept having variations on our nightmares every time we went back to sleep.”

“That’s what happened to Robin too. I just had the one because it woke me up completely. Henry had nightmares about everyone all night.”

“Poor Henry.”

“I know.”

“So I’m guessing yours had something to do with the health of someone in your family.”

“Me. I want you to run your most sophisticated medical and magical tests to see if I’m pregnant or not.”

“Sure. I have a cancellation at 1 PM. Have any idea on who did that nightmare spell on all of us?”

“We’ll be meeting to try to figure out that tonight after the kids are asleep. You have any thoughts, your welcome to come too.”

“Not my forte or Mulan’s but if you find out anything pass it along.”

“I will. Robin will be coming in too for the appointment. I think we both want to talk to you about birth control options. The pregnancy test I did this morning said I wasn’t pregnant. I think Robin and I were being warned that I shouldn’t get pregnant.”

“Uh huh. Your uterus has a lot of scaring in it from the effects of that potion. A pregnancy wouldn’t be wise, not unless you went to Avalon.”

“That’s what you said to Robin and me in our dreams, but I was already pregnant with twins.”

“Not good,”

“I know. I want to prevent it, so does Robin.”

“Okay, we’ll talk more when you get here.”

To everyone’s relief, Regina was indeed not pregnant.

“I generally can’t sense a soul until they are already loosely attached to a fetus. But I can sense both of them. I think you got your warning dreams just in time. They are definitely tied to you.”

“But Morgan said we didn’t have to be their parents, that others in our family could be and it didn’t have to be right now.”

“You might need Tinkerbell. She can help you talk to them and persuade them to wait and let someone else be their parents. I don’t have that kind of skill.”

“So it could work if we spoke to them?”

“Yes, I believe so. But lets get some birth control started right away, and no intercourse until it’s effective.”

“I could do something too, to keep it from happening?” Robin asked. 

“Yes. It’s called a vasectomy.”

“I’ll do it.”

“If you’d rather have Doctor Whale do it I can speak to him. I understand if you’d be uncomfortable about a woman doing this procedure.

“No!” Both Robin and Regina shouted Then Robin looked embarrassed “Sorry for the outburst. I just would rather never go to that man for any medical thing. I can deal with the slight embarrassment of whatever you have to do.”

“Okay. I know a lot of people in Storybrooke have similar feelings about Doctor Whale.

“He’s repulsive” Regina spat out.

“Understood.” Rebecka pulled out her tablet and typed in the link. Then handed the tablet to Robin. “This is what a vasectomy is.”

Robin glanced at the diagram. “I’ll do it. When can you schedule it?”

Rebecka called Nova at the reception desk. “When’s my next day with no patients scheduled?”

“Okay, good. That should be fine.”

“Would two weeks from today work for you?”

“Yeah.”

“In the meantime Regina I have the pills you can start taking today and an activated herb with it as backup. Wait at least 3 days before any intercourse though, maybe longer under the circumstances.”

“We can wait. I want this thing with those souls connected to us fixed first.”

“Talk to Tinkerbell. I've vaguely heard of a ritual that might work, she probably knows of it. From what I recall about the ritual it was a fairy spell.”

“I will.”

Regina called Tinkerbell right after they got in the car and told her about what had happened.

“So we weren’t the only ones. I’ll tell Mal as soon as she comes back.”

“Back?”

“Back. She turned into a dragon and said she’d hunt down whoever did this.”

Regina sighed “You did tell her to bring them back alive so we could question them?”

“I did. Hopefully she calms down enough if she does, that she to listened to me. You think it’s more than one person?”

“That’s our guess, with this many people affected. And about Robin and my dreams, do you know of anything we could do to talk to these souls and tell them to be a bit more patient?”

There was a long pause from Tinkerbell. “And to ask them to choose someone else in your family as their parents? Yeah but whoever is offering to be their parents needs to be there too...”

“So we’ll need to talk with everyone and see who would.”

“Yes. Okay. Well everyone will be at the house tonight anyway. We’ll just make it another topic of discussion...”

“Would you want Mal and I to be there too?”

“Yes.” Despite the situation, Regina smiled as she hung up. Maleficent and Tinkerbell, who would have thought a few years ago. The dragon and the fairy. But the two had taken an instant liking to each other and it grew from there. Was it true love? Who knew? They were happy though. That sounded like true love to her. The same as Mulan and Rebecka, Rowena and Wilfred, and she had to admit it, Henry and Violet. Her little prince was all grown up...

That evening they all sat in Regina’s formal dining room. Henry and Violet included. 

Hank had finally agreed to let Violet leave the house when Emma arrested Keith for his twelfth DUI. Hank’s nightmare was Keith, driving drunk, struck Violet with his car that evening and seriously injured her. Keith was sitting in the Storybrooke jail with no bail allowed. He’d be in jail until his trial, and with his history and so clear evidence, this time hopefully he’d be serving the longest sentence they could give him. With any luck it’d be years before Keith stepped foot outside a jail cell.

Mal was glowering as she sat down, “I could see the magic signature but they must have a strong illusion powers, there was no one there where the trail lead me.”

“Was it one you’d seen before?” Regina asked

“No. Definitely not male though. That’s all I could tell.”

“That rules out Gold for sure, then.” Emma responded.

“And if you didn’t recognize it, then it wasn’t the Blue Fairy.” Robin said

Tinkerbell laughed. “She couldn’t do this; she doesn’t have that kind of power.”

“But she could have manipulated someone who could. She has the clearest motive” Regina said

“Yeah, hate to say it, but she does.” Snow looked distressed. Despite all that happened she stilled had hoped her fairy godmother would give in to her loss of power with grace.

“So what now?” David came to the point. “An intervention isn’t going to work with her; we’ll have to catch her in the act somehow.”

“Agreed.” Regina nodded her head. “Tinkerbell do you know the real level of her power?”

“Not as much as she pretends she has. The Dark One caught her off guard more than once. He was more powerful than her even the first time that happened.” 

“What about compared to us?” Emma asked.

“Hard to say. Regina is the only one of you that I can see her full magic potential”

“Because you were supposed to have been her fairy godmother, right?” Snow said

“Yes. The good news is that Regina’s light magic power is actually stronger than hers. The Blue fairy saw that prophesy about her being the savior in the Enchanted Forest so she suspects Regina is more powerful.”

“So fairies can tell how powerful another fairy is?” Mulan asked.

“Yes. She made sure everyone was aware she was the most powerful fairy, of us and had us in a strict hierarchy by power limits.”

“Tinkerbell was higher up than me.” Iris said.

“Way higher than me. I was near the bottom” Nova looked sad. “She claimed I could become a fairy godmother one day if I just applied myself.”

“She was just using you.” Leroy growled.

“Used a lot of us, including me.” Emma responded.

“But she can’t anymore so she’s likely found some way to used someone even more powerful than her.”

“So how are we going to catch her in the act?” Belle questioned. 

“The most likely way is to find whoever she’s manipulated and confront them. They may not be evil. No one’s nightmares seem to be just designed to frighten us, they seem to be warnings of things we have to prevent. Some sooner than others.”

“Yeah, mine was years from now. It was about Rumple taking Bae away from me once her magic became active.”

“When?”

“When she’s 10.”

“We’ll all help keep him from doing that.”

“Thank you. I’m just afraid he’s made himself too powerful for anyone to stop him.”

“We won’t take him on alone then, none of us.” Regina said firmly

“Remember that, my love, when the time comes.” Robin took her hand.

Regina nodded. Then her expression became solemn. “I’m afraid Robin and I will need to ask a major favor too. To those of you that are couples and have some kind of family bond to one or the other of us.”

“Is it what happened in your dreams?” Snow asked.

“Perhaps I should tell them, since I had multiple versions of the dream. “ Robin said.

“Okay.” Regina replied.

“They all involved twin souls. Rebecka can sense them even though Regina isn’t pregnant yet-“

“I know you somehow had Grace, but didn’t you curse yourself with the infertility potion?” Emma asked.

“Yes, mother came and tried to manipulate me into marrying Nottingham-“

“Nottingham? “ David looked incredulous.

“I know. Even as far gone as I was then, I saw through what Mother tried to do. I dispatched Nottingham to my dungeon for a few hours-“

Everyone laughed. No one liked him and if anyone deserved a few hours in the Evil Queen’s dungeon, he was one. Even Mulan quirked a small smile. She still hadn’t completely warmed up to Regina but she despised Nottingham/Keith as much as the others.

“What did you think your mother would do?” Snow gently asked.

“Wait a few years until any children were old enough to be molded by her, and arrange some kind of ‘tragic accident’ to befall my partner and I. Then she’d do to my children what she did to me and rule my kingdom. I cursed myself to prevent that from ever happening. I regretted doing it immediately and even more so when Robin and I got together. I thought I would never have a child but apparently being soulmates can overcome that. But what it can’t overcome is the scarring on my womb. I spent enough time in Avalon when I was pregnant with Grace that it temporarily healed my womb, long enough to carry her safely to term. But now the scarring is back, it’s twins, plus my age too...”

“It’s too dangerous. You don’t have to tell us any more about your dreams. What can we do to help?” Snow looked Regina in the eyes and took her hand.

“There’s a magic ritual, Tinkerbell knows it.”

“We’ll go out by the lake tonight. Ask the souls if they will choose to be the children of another couple in the family. They will have a close bond to Robin and Regina so it’s like being surrogate parents, but they’ll have a bond to you too. It’s more likely to be successful if the alternate parents are connected by family.”

“So that means David and I are one couple.” Snow nodded

“Wilfred and I are another.” Rowena said 

“Us too.” Violet looked at Henry, and he nodded emphatically.

“You’re too young!” Regina and Emma both cried out. Robin nodded, he though so too.

“I think we can convince the souls to wait, if they choose Henry and Violet”

“Moms, Robin. Violet’s already 18 and I’ll be 18 in two months. We’re adults. We’re in.” Henry glared back at them.

“But how will you support them. You just finished high school, haven’t started college yet, even your incomes combined in Storybrooke isn’t enough to raise a family on.” Emma argued.

The two teens looked crestfallen, neither had thought about that.

Regina looked at Robin. Robin nodded; he had a good idea what Regina was going to say. They both knew Henry’s nature and had gotten to know Violet’s. She had proved to be as tenacious as either of Henry’s mothers, although more freely kindhearted. It was the combination of both those factors that made accepting Violet easier for Regina as well as the girl’s intelligence. “I’ll accept you too, on these conditions. We get these souls to wait a few years. I want you both to finish your college degrees, at least your undergraduate degrees, I want you both working in your careers, getting a decent paycheck. I’ll pay for the first down payment and cosign on whatever house you want to live in here. I know you’ll want a place of your own, and you deserve it. “

“Mom...” Henry looked overwhelmed.

Regina smiled. “And that goes for whether they choose you are not.”

“I’ll help you out too, kid, whatever happens.” Emma said

“Us too.” Snow said firmly. 

“Absolutely” David agreed.

“If you want to work more time at the shop or at the library, either or both of you, any time to get more of a head start on savings, I’d be glad to have you.” Belle offered.

“I can always use your help at the clinic, Violet, if you want to work more days now that you are graduated and before your classes start.” Rebecka stated.

Before long everyone else in the room had offered some form of help to the young couple...  
Rebecka, Mulan, Belle, Emma and Killian stayed at Regina’s house to keep an eye on all the sleeping little ones, while Regina, Robin, Rowena, Wilfred, Henry, Violet, Tinkerbell and Maleficent headed out to the lake. Maleficent would guard the magical perimeter during the ritual. 

As they walked to the spot David whispered to Snow. “I know you had Emma and Neal okay, but this is twins and you had a cursed womb too, what if there’s the same problem, if there’s more than one?”

“I...” Snow looked conflicted. “But wouldn’t Rebecka have said something if that was the case? I go to her for my checkups too.”

At the same time Wilfred was expressing doubts of his own. “Rowena, you just had Cedric last year. We’d have five kids if it’s us, three of them infants. Can we handle that?”

“I want to, but yeah it’s going to be a lot on us. But someone needs to, Regina can’t.”

Henry and Violet though held hands and smiled at each other, they knew if it was them they could do it. Any hint of doubts had been washed away with all the offers of support and the conditional blessing of Regina. Henry was certain the twin souls would be happy to wait if it was them.

Maleficent cast the protective circle once everyone was inside the area, then Tinkerbell cast the circle around the ritual space.  
Tinkerbell spoke the words of the spell ritual and the space was filled with a soft glow. They could see two balls of light floating near Robin and Regina. 

Rowena let out a soft gasp, she was the one least experienced at seeing this kind of magic.

“Who first steps forward to be the parents of these souls?”

“We do” Snow said emphatically as she and David stepped forward a step.

The twin souls moved toward them and hovered, but then moved back to Robin and Regina. Tinkerbell shook her head no, but Snow knew they hadn’t passed whatever test the souls needed.

“Sorry Regina.” Snow said sadly.

“It’s okay. Let’s continue.”

“Who next steps forward?”

“We do.” Rowena said softly. She and Wilfred took a step forward. The twin souls moved forward again, but after a few minutes again moved back to Robin and Regina.

“Sorry.”   
“It’s fine.” Regina squared her shoulders. Robin took her hand reassuringly; whatever happened he’d make sure she was okay.

“Who next steps forward?”

“We do!” Henry and Violet chorused with confidence.

The twin souls moved forward and hovered. This time they glowed more brightly and stayed by Henry and Violet.

“You have been chosen.” Tinkerbell said solemnly.

“We will love you as much as if you were our biological children.” Regina assured the souls “Will you be willing to wait a few years until Henry and Violet have finished their educations and have careers so that they can give you the best possible lives?”

The twin souls glowed again.

“They’ve agreed.” Tinkerbell said.

Regina sighed with relief and Robin drew her into his arms. They’d done it.

Tinkerbell ended the ritual and Maleficent dropped the protective barrier. 

“So? Successful?” Maleficent asked.

“Yes.” Tinkerbell smiled

Maleficent smiled back. Then she turned to Regina. “So who did they choose?”

“Us!” Henry and Violet grinned.

“Good.” Maleficent still didn’t completely trust Regina’s stepdaughter and her husband. As for Robin’s sister and her husband, they were too normal to truly deal with a situation like that. Regina’s son and his girlfriend were the best choice. 

“Especially since we got them to wait until Henry and Violet finish their degrees and start working.” Regina said.

“A different realm from what we grew up in, yes.”

“Better.” 

“Indeed. I have space to be alone and am not facing constant hostile invasions. I have my daughter back.”

“And you have me.” Tinkerbell grinned.

“I do. It’s nice to have good company.”

“Company?” Tinkerbell said in mock outrage as the two women walked away together. Soon there is a laugh in the distance from Maleficent and a giggle from Tinkerbell as they transform to their dragon and fairy forms for a faster trip home.

Everyone else gets back into the vehicles they arrived in. Regina let the other two couples leave before them. She looked back at the young couple cuddled together in the back seat of the family SUV with a lopsided smile. Robin touched her shoulder. She looked at him. He’s gazing at her with that look that warms her soul. “It’s alright now, even I can feel it.” He says gently.  
“Yes.” Then she turned back around, locked her seat belt in place and started the engine for the short drive back to their house.

As the headlights disappeared, a shimmer of light from behind a tree reveals a woman with long curly black hair dressed in a fuchsia and gold sari. Maya smiled. Her dreams had worked; they’d made the right choice. This was a strange realm that she’d suddenly been called to, but people were much the same in their souls.


	3. Chapter 3

Love and Mischief

Chapter 3

When they returned to the house it was to discover Roland and his cousins Matthew and Roberta had snuck out in an attempt to follow them, but had been caught. Apparently Killian had scared them back into the house by giving them a dose of Captain Hook, after which Emma had further scared them with a threat of a night in a jail cell. Poor Roland was in tears, while Matthew sat at the table with a defiant scowl and Roberta said the boys had told her she was a scaredy cat if she stayed home.

Regina sighed, here we go again. She'd gone through this with Henry when he was around Roland's age. But at least Roland knew exactly who she was and she hadn't been the "Evil Queen" in years. So part of that behavior just must be normal… she sighed again.

Henry grinned at Emma, realizing much the same thing.

Emma quirked a smile back. Back when Henry was that age she'd actually abetted that behavior. In retrospect she saw how irresponsible that had been. If she hadn't been that way, taken a more moderate tactic, maybe she might have helped Regina throw off the shadow of the Evil Queen sooner, and some things they both regretted wouldn't have happened. It certainly helped had when she eventually did take a more moderate tactic. Emma still remembered the look of astonishment on Regina's face the first time she'd taken her side and defended her to the others. Emma gave Regina an apologetic look, perhaps they'd been a bit over the top. Emma was glad now she'd just been one of Henry's parental figures and Regina had done the lion's share.

Regina shrugged; Roland was still more sensitive than most children. She knew the tears were not from fear but shame. Robin was best to handle Roland's initial intense reactions. He'd come to her later for a cuddle.

Emma followed Regina into the living room

"Hey, sorry about us upsetting Roland."

"Its okay, parenting isn't easy, gets tougher as they get older, then it starts to get easier and you have to let them go…"

"Henry. It's more difficult for you than it's for me. I'm just not the maternal type."

"So you really are definite, you and Killian don't want to have any kids."

"No kids. Henry's enough for me, and Killian doesn't want any either."

Regina nodded, then gave a lopsided smile. "Well you'll need to prepare to be a grandmother a few years from now."

"So they chose Henry and Violet, but you got them to wait?"

"Yes. Until Henry and Violet get their degrees and both have a steady job."

"So a while yet, good. Don't if I'm ready to be a grandmother yet." Then Emma laughed "Look who's saying this. I sprung a grandkid on my parents way younger than I am now."

Regina winced slightly, "Sorry about that." That damn curse she'd cast…

"No, over and done, it's the past, you were Gold's pawn, broken, crazy, consumed by evil, and we found out, cursed as well."

"Still I am guilty of it."

"You are, but it's not who you've been for a very long time. And none of us are pure either. I'm sorry I stood there like a self-righteous ass, when I was the one who was being reckless about Henry's safety."

"Ancient history, I was hardly acting like a good role model for him either at that time."

"Okay, but you know what? Because of all of us: you, Robin, mom and dad, and me, Henry turned out to be a really great kid. I'm sure whenever he and Violet start a family they'll be great parents."

"Yes. It's how I reconcile myself to the choice."

"Plus aren't you already technically my step grandmother?" Emma said lightening the conversation

"And both Henry's mother and step great grandmother." Regina smirked

Belle came down stairs with her three year old daughter, who was cranky from being woke up to go home. "Regina, I'm sorry I missed Roland and his cousins sneaking out."

"Roland spent his earliest years with a band of thieves; he knows how to sneak when he wants to. I'm sure he taught his cousins." Regina said with a laugh.

"Mulan spotted them, and Killian figured he could scare them back home so we let him go after them with Emma."

"Rebecka told me. She waited on the porch to let us know the situation before we walked in."

"Is Roland still crying?"

Regina glanced into the dining room. "He's fine now."

"Good. How did it work out?"

"They chose Henry and Violet, but are willing to wait a few years."

Belle smiled. "I think they made the right choice."

"I guess." Regina said neutrally, but with a hint of a smile

Late that same night.

In the fox spirit realm, Inari was gazing up at the stars. The heat and humidity of this summer night had made him let his yukata hang open to let the rare breeze strike his bare skin. He suddenly felt the pull to the other realm. But oddly, he hadn't heard his name called as he usually did. He stood up and vanished.

He found himself in a strange town. It was different from any town he'd even been in; even the one near where he'd rescued his adoptive daughter Mitsue. It was very cold. Inari tried to transform to fox form. He snarled in anger- something was keeping him in human form. He shivered; the pavement was painfully cold to his bare feet.

He attempted a simpler spell and was relieved when heavy workers tabi now protected his feet, and his yukata had transformed to a lined and padded winter kimono. The signs were in another language but his magic was working there at least as well- he could read them. He should be able to understand and speak the language. He could still sense remnants of the magic that brought him here. He looked toward the Pawn shop; it radiated a lot of magic. This must be the person who brought him here and suppressed part of his magic. Unless they had a very good reason for this they'd be sorry. It was nearly dawn and the shop still appeared to be closed. Getting in should be simple magic. He grinned ferally when he quickly gained entrance to the shop. It would be a simple matter to hide among the clutter.

The wait wasn't long, but the shop owner came from the back instead the outside. Odd, he sensed only a very weak hint of magic, certainly not enough to draw him here, nor did the shop contain an object that could draw him from his realm, still… He abruptly stood as the sorceress stepped into the shop. Before he said a word though, he realized two things, the woman held the hand of a young child, and she had no magic. The hint of magic came from the child. This changed things. Neither could have suppressed part of his power. Maybe the woman could help him though.

"How'd you get in?" Belle looked at the handsome stranger warily and made sure she stood in front of her daughter.

"Magic" Inari smiled charmingly. "Perhaps you can help me. I'm not here by choice, someone brought me here. What is this place?"

Belle relaxed slightly. "You aren't the first one. This is Storybrooke. Are you Japanese?"

"Close. I come from the fox spirit realm. My name is Inari."

Belle thought for a moment, "The Fox God?"

"Yes. As I said, though, I'm not here by choice, nor was I called by a child or a person in need of my help."

"So you're completely unprepared."

"Yes, it pains me to say so, but whatever magic brought me here has also suppressed part of my powers. I cannot transform to my fox form and it is quite cold here."

"Nights can still be cold this time of year. It'll warm up during the day though. But you were brought here with nothing, right?"

"Yes, it was midsummer in my realm. I was even less prepared for this weather when I arrived. Fortunately I could access enough of my magic to allow for warmer clothes."

"But you need clothes, a place to stay..."

"Could you help me?"

"Rumple left some of his clothes behind but you look too tall and muscular to wear them, maybe Granny could help you find that too."

"Granny?"

"She runs a restaurant and a bed and breakfast

"Bed and breakfast?"

"Kind of like a hotel but small and with meals."

"Ah."

"I'll take you over when she opens up. She's good about helping people new to town. When did you get here?"

"Just before I walked in here."

That definitely means he's not the one who sent us those dreams. But I wonder if the same person brought him here for some reason. Belle thought.

Inari could sense the sadness in the woman. She had mentioned someone named Rumple who had left, the father of her child, perhaps?

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't tell you my name, I'm Belle. I mostly run the library here, but this shop was my husband's. I have it opened once a week."

"You said he left? Are you divorced?"

"Unofficially separated. He didn't want to stay here, I did."

Inari could tell there was more to her story, but he wouldn't pry. It was always better to let people tell their sorrows when they wished to.

"I am sorry. You are a lovely and kind woman."

"Thank you. Granny's won't open for another hour, are you hungry?"

"To be honest, yes."

"I don't know if we have anything you might like but we'll see." She motioned him to follow her back behind the curtain that separated the private area of the building from the pawn shop.

"You're a fox?" Bae looked up at Inari curiously

"I can be." He smiled down at the child

"Wow."

"But sadly I cannot show you now. Someone has taken that from me."

"Someone bad." Bae frowned

"Yes, someone bad. I need to be able to turn into my fox form."

"You do?" Belle asked "Are you more powerful in fox form?"

"No. But it's like having a part of me amputated. It's a part of me and I want to know why whoever brought me here did this to me."

"It's cruel."

"Yes, and it doesn't inspire me to think kindly of them. I will go to help someone when they call on me, but using a spell and taking a part of me away... whoever did this has made an enemy out of me."

"I'll help you find out who did this to you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. So um, rice, I guess you like that? "

"Yes. I'm also called the Rice god, after all."

"Well, I don't know how well you'll like this rice" She pulled out a box of rice.

"Hmm let me see" He scanned the cooking directions on the box and snorted "that's a poor way to make rice. Perhaps I can improve it"

Twenty minutes later the three of them sat down to breakfast.

"Wow, you're a great cook!" Belle exclaimed. "I bet Granny would love to have your help while you're here." Then she looked embarrassed "Um, that's if it's not insulting to suggest."

"Not at all insulting. I'm no lordly god making others do all my work. I enjoy helping others."

"That's wonderful."

"In fact, I quite enjoy taking lordly people down a few levels."

Belle laughed. "Granny will really like you then, that's what she loves to do!"

Inari grinned "I look forward to meeting her then."

A short while later Belle walked over to Granny's with her daughter and Inari

As soon as he walked in Granny sniffed the air and looked at him sharply. Inari raised an eyebrow. So this Granny is a wolf, much like he is a fox, he thought, although nowhere near as powerful.

Belle explained the situation and who Inari was.

Granny's expression turned speculative, with a hint of something else, as she grinned appreciatively at the handsome looking fox god. "So you can cook, huh? I might need some help in the kitchen. If you're as good as she says you can have room and board free and I'll pay you a bit besides."

Inari grinned slyly. She really did enjoy making sure no lord or even a god had anything over her. He would enjoy this, indeed.

After she left Inari at the diner, Belle called Emma and told her about Inari.

"So you don't think he's the one who caused everyone's nightmares?"

"No. He's really upset about being brought here and part of his powers cut off. He said he'd just been brought here this morning. I think he's telling the truth."

"Okay, I'll call my parents and Regina. Could you ask him to come over to the mayor's office? I'm sure that's where Regina will want us all to meet."

Inari warily walked into the mayor's office. There were two powerful adult magic users in the room. But Belle said neither of them had brought him here and wanted to help him.

"So you say you're a fox god?" Emma asked

"Yes."

"Storybrooke hasn't had very pleasant encounters with gods, perhaps you might want to not broadcast that point" Regina advised

Inari nodded. "I understand. Some call me a fox spirit instead. Would that be better?"

"I believe so."

"Yeah doesn't sound so threatening." Emma agreed.

"Then that's what I will say."

"Now that's out of the way. What can you tell us about how you came here?" Regina asked.

"I was at home, my older daughter had just left to put my younger daughter to bed-"

"You have children?" Belle asked "You didn't mention that."

"My apologies, but yes I do. My older daughter Kitsu is my biological child. She was raised by me because her human parent rejected her when she showed magical traits. He left her at one of my temples in Japan when she was seven years old."

"He? But you're-"Emma began

Inari looked embarrassed.

"I think I can explain for Inari, it's a pretty personal thing for him to speak of. Fox gods are truly gender fluid; they can change gender as they wish."

"So with that guy, you were a woman?" Robin asked, trying to wrap his mind around the concept.

"Yes. We fox spirits actually tend to prefer taking on female human form and forming lasting relationships with men and having children with them…."

"But the relationships never last more than a few years, right?"

"Only rarely…"

"You left your child with this man who rejected her when she showed she had magic…" Regina gave Inari a stern look.

"Not by choice!" Inari shouted.

Regina's eyes widened. Then her expression softened; so this wasn't a case of being abandoned twice by different parents.

"Fox spirits have to leave if their identity as one is discovered. Most the time they can't take any children with them, unless they are rejected by their human parent." Belle said gently.

"Oh how awful!" Snow cried out.

"It is." Inari said. "But I accepted it because that's was how it was for us. Most the time the children are loved and accepted by their human parents. But when Kitsu was rejected so resoundingly by her father, I lost the desire to take on female form. It hurt too much to see my daughter's pain. I would not inflict this on another child."

"So in male form you don't-"

"It's much rarer. I only have one child that way. His mother was rejected by her community for having a child outside of marriage…"

"You didn't marry her?"

"It was a one time thing, an impulsive act on both our sides. I had all but forgotten her when she came to a temple and called my name. She came to live in the fox spirit realm until her child was old enough to travel with her. By that time 60 years had gone by in her world and no one still lived there remembered her. Time moves much more slowly in the fox spirit realm than in this one. She returned to her village with her son and they lived out the rest of their lives normally. The villagers assumed she was a widow who had lost her husband in one of the many little wars that happened back then…"

"So a long time ago, huh?" Emma asked

Inari saw the calendar on the desk and made a calculation. "Yes, around 500 years ago in your world."

"Then you're-"

"Around 1,000 years old in your realm. "

"Wow."

Regina shook her head, while it was nice this Inari was so open with them, this discussion didn't really help the matter at hand. "Thank you for being so open with us about who you are and your history, but we really need to focus on what happened when you were abducted from your realm"

"My apologies. I was alone at the time, as I said when I felt to pull to your world. But unlike what I should, I didn't hear my name called, nor did I arrive anywhere near one of my temples. Instead I arrived here. I soon discovered that I could not transform into my fox form. "

"Part of your magic is cut off. So whoever brought you here wanted to be sure you'd have to interact with us. They want us focused on the disruption of your situation." Regina said with a thoughtful expression

"You've mentioned nightmares, that you believe are magically caused." Inari asked

"Yes, happened just a couple of days ago now."

"So could whoever did this to me, have also brought over a person that can cause these nightmares?"

"That's our theory." Regina responded.

Inari nodded "Since you are so willing to help me, I will gladly help you."

"Thank you," Regina smiled slightly.

On another side of town.

The Blue Fairy looked up from the pool of water that was acting as a kind of spy mirror with irritation "I don't see how this one will be any help to us. He's already said he'll be helping them"

Isaac smirked "There's different types of chaos that we can spread. Inari has done exactly what I expected him to do."

"And the other, this Maya? What can she do now; they know the dreams were caused by magic."

"And they are nowhere near to finding her either, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"See we are still causing chaos, they are probably still all on edge wondering if they'll get another night of dreams like Maya's first. Plus the people who couldn't easily resolve their nightmares are still anxious. They are going to start putting pressure of the mayor and sheriffs to find the culprit and fix their problems."

"Alright I agree Maya is doing exactly what we need done. But I don't think this Inari will be useful." She grumbled.

"Wait and see, like I said there are different types of chaos they can cause. Plus he distracts them from fully focusing on finding who caused the nightmares."

"Thus causing more tension in town as they focus on his plight rather than who caused their dreams. Okay, so he is useful that way. I just think you should have found someone more chaotic."

"If Inari doesn't cause enough chaos, we can bring in others. I have one in mind…."


	4. chapter 4

Love and Mischief chapter 4

Maya didn’t understand why people were angry at her. She’d had a few near misses, almost caught by people very clear they would punish her if they did. Her dreams helped them. She’d seen several act on them, keeping those terrible things from happening. Shouldn’t they be glad they knew and could do something? Fate wasn’t a rigid thing, it was malleable. And her work made it even moreso. The dragon woman and the fairy had almost caught her yesterday! The dragon woman had made threats of violence. The fairy, who was her partner, seemed to calm her down a bit. But still if someone did catch her eventually she hoped it wasn’t them! The woman who she’d helped about the babies had nearly walked right into her from behind the day before that. At so close Maya didn’t think her illusion of just being empty air would have held. If she hadn’t sensed the woman behind her rushing to catch up with her youngest child at the lake…. Maya had been momentarily captivated by the little girl’s laughter and mischievous look on her face. 

So during the days she’d hide herself as best she could, today inside this small cave where she could relax her illusion power.   
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After a week Inari began to feel more adjusted to this strange town. The woman who called herself Granny had been quite impressed with his cooking and quite happy about how it was making her diner quite the draw. He chuckled; she also had made it quite clear she was attracted to him. 

For the first time in many years he was enjoying obliging that attraction. Granny seemed quite amused that their obvious fling had scandalized some of the more uptight members of the town, particularly a couple who had apparently been royal in this Enchanted Forest realm he’d heard mentioned. Some place they’d lived before. He wasn’t sure if it was a curse or spell had brought them here. But whatever it was most the people seemed very happy here, freely stating their lives were much better here. Apparently it had to do with the woman that was mayor of the town. 

The uptight couple went by the names Aurora and Phillip. They seemed like the type people he would have enjoyed pranking and causing chaos for in old Japan- clearly sure they were absolutely superior to most in the town. But they seemed scared of the woman who was also a dragon, Maleficent. She first viewed him with suspicion but after learning he was a parent separated from his children, by the spell that brought him here, she had become sympathetic. And she now seemed quite amused by his open liaison with Granny. Maleficent, apparently was typically a recluse, but had recently been seen in town much more frequently, along with her partner, the rogue fairy, Tinkerbelle. The two were seeking who caused the nightmares. He had made suggestions he hoped were helpful. Although he didn’t have dream magic, his magic was partly illusion based. It was almost certain the dream magic user was using powerful illusion magic to hide. He had sensed it once during his nightly walks, but then it disappeared. 

But the person he’d felt the strongest connection to was Belle. Belle’s friendship was genuine and before he left he’d like to take away a bit of the sadness in her heart. Her daughter Bae also continued to remind him of his younger daughter Mitsue. Although he stayed at Granny’s, he frequently found himself spending almost contented hours with Belle and her young daughter. 

He had even told Belle the story of how he had found his younger daughter Mitsue. What had happened to Mitsue before he found her had filled him with such outrage he had withdrawn even further from the world outside of the fox spirit realm. Perhaps he’d been too harsh though. Although there were monstrous people in this world, this abduction to this Storybrooke had reminded him there were also good people, people he could help, still.

He’d rescued an abandoned child in the woods near one of his shrines, in the other realm, the land called Japan. Anger sliced through his heart thinking about the circumstances. The child had been only three years old when he found her. Her parents hadn’t even left her at the shrine, like his daughter Kitsu had been, around 150 years ago in that realm. His younger daughter had called out for him and he’d gone and brought her back here, even though she was fully human. The child made it clear she had no one that would care for her. Her parents had even called her Maigo- Stray ! He had immediately changed her name to Mitsue, with the meaning, Blessed meeting. She’d been his daughter for a number of years in her birth realm. Due to the magic in his realm though, she had only aged about 4-5 years, he guessed; as she could now wear the kimono Kitsu wore when she came to the fox spirit realm- when she was around 7 years old. 

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Regina massaged her temple. She felt a tension headache starting. Yet more complaints from people who hadn’t had their nightmares resolved. Including Grumpy- who made sure his complaints were aired daily. Not his nightmare, but Nova’s. The fairies nightmares had hit three days after everyone else’s. Perhaps whoever caused them didn’t immediately know how to cause them in fairies. Suspiciously, only the three emancipated fairies- Tinkerbelle, Nova and Iris had been hit with them. Even more suspiciously, theirs had been much vaguer than everyone else’s, and seemed to involve being back under the blue fairy’s rule. This made the blue fairy almost assuredly the prime suspect. But they didn’t have enough real evidence, according to Emma, to even question the woman, yet. 

Then there was the complaint Aurora and Phillip lodged, in person, today, about Granny and Inari. If there was ever a royal pair that was more obnoxious than the Charmings it was them. Regina didn’t care in the slightest about Granny’s love life, and the fact she and the fox spirit were having a very public fling wasn’t news. 

But that snooty former royal couple decided they were offended by it and it was the mayor’s or sheriff’s job to put an end to it. Gah! They’d even made a suggestion that the former evil queen could maybe lay some kind of curse on them! The only people she was currently tempted to put some kind of spell on were those royal pains in the ass! 

Apparently Aurora and Phillip had made their disgust obvious to Granny and Inari, because last night the fox and wolf couple decided they would prank the stuck-up couple. They stood in the woods just outside the property line of Aurora and Phillips house, around midnight, and made wolf howls and fox yips- loudly. This went on for about 20 minutes. Long enough for the offended couple to call the sheriff’s office and Emma to arrive at their house. At which point Granny and Inari ran off into woods laughing. Emma didn’t pursue. 

She told Aurora and Phillip the most she could charge Granny and Inari with, if they did it again and she caught them in the act, was a public nuisance charge, which was a fine of 5 dollars, if the charges were proven. Thus, why they deigned to come to the mayor’s office this morning to air their grievances, to her. Ugh, she needed a break and it was just 10 AM. Perhaps she could call up Robin and they could have lunch together, at Granny’s. She’d decide how to handle this situation then. 

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Robin was dealing with a similarly frustrating morning in the park ranger’s office. One that made him consider a few days vacation that didn’t involve stepping into this office. The main problem was his two coworkers, who complained, yet again about having no resolution to their nightmares of last week. 

One, he had sympathy for. It would not be a quick resolution, her son was going through adolescence and the nightmare was about the boy coming to some harm due to some foolish behavior. The boy refused to heed his mother’s warnings and worries. It appeared, unfortunately, that nothing could be done to stop this from happening. But as one of the scenarios played out, it happened in the woods. 

Robin had taken precautions to make sure if it did happen there, someone would be there to rescue the boy quickly. He had told Regina. She had used her magic to make magically run surveillance cameras at the likely spots. Cameras that the office had monitors for- also courtesy of Regina’s magic. It just was growing aggravating to hear about this issue with her son day after day. He’d even spoken with the boy, apparently to no avail…

The other coworker’s problem, on the other hand, was of his own making and he refused to do anything about it. He expected Regina to magically solve his problem, or if not Regina, one of the other powerful magic users in town. It was his stairs to his basement. The nightmare was one of the steps was rotten and would cause him a fall if he didn’t replace it. He didn’t know how to do it himself, and was too cheap to hire someone. He claimed it was Regina’s duty to fix it since it was her curse that brought them here. Every day he heard this or some variant on it. Emma should because she was the savior as well as one of the sheriff’s…. Robin was sick and tired of hearing this every day. This was more aggravating than when Little John complained for a week about a heist that Tuck had caused them to miss...He needed a break, needed to see Regina before this evening. Perhaps for lunch at Granny’s.

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When Robin arrived at Granny’s Regina was sitting at a booth, scowling out the window. Robin touched her shoulder and sat down beside her.

“I need to get myself in a better mood before I pick up Hope and Grace from daycare.” Regina mumbled.

“Perhaps relating my morning of frustrations will cheer you up?” Robin smiled lopsidedly. Just seeing Regina had lightened his mood. He saw the faint lift of her lips before she sighed in exasperation. 

“Frustrating seems mild for my morning. And apparently ‘I need to speak to Granny and Inari about their inappropriate behavior’.” Regina rolled her eyes.

“Oh yes, the prank they pulled on Aurora and Phillip last night, that you mentioned over the phone.” Robin chuckled

Regina smirked, then sighed again. “It’s funny, yeah, but it’s also a headache that I would rather not deal with. But I’m mayor so...”

“Perhaps I could. Since they were in the woods, wouldn’t I technically have the ability to say something?”  
“  
Hmm. You know, you just might.” Regina’s mood lifted.

“Then l will.”

“Okay”

“Now that’s settled we can enjoy our lunch.”

“Yes.” Regina lightly kissed Robin on the lips.

Robin smirked and pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. “Milady, if that’s what kind of lunch you wanted I believe we are in the wrong place. Unless you perhaps wanted to do a little payback for Granny’s and Inari’s mischief, which we must address?” 

Regina’s eyes danced with amusement and desire. She whispered back. “A tempting offer, thief. But” she sighed “We are the parents of four impressionable children, although one is almost an adult, but still, I’d rather not send the message that making out in public is correct behavior.” Regina shifted to cuddle against Robin “This however, is perfectly acceptable.”

Robin let his arm rest loosely on Regina’s waist and kissed her on the forehead. “I agree.”

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As Regina drove to pick up her daughters from the half day of day care she remembered when she made the reluctant choice to let them go there. She had felt like a failure. She had cared for Henry all alone day and night up till she sent him off to kindergarten. But that was under the curse. It was easy to make sure her daily meetings took place during Henry’s nap time. Henry had also been a rather docile preschooler. He was content to quietly play while mommy worked nearby. And Roland, although a sometimes mischievous boy, had been mostly under Robin’s care until he started school.

The girls though, were thoroughly Mills in behavior. Very active, difficult to get to take naps, and prone to sheer brilliant audacity that she found hard to not laugh at. Plus this was a now a somewhat odd but yet typical small town in Maine. People barged in all the time during her office hours. She had managed when they were infants in the office with her all day, and valiantly struggled once Hope hit two…Hope was more prone to attention getting behavior. Robin had again offered to take the girls with him to work some days, like when they were both infants, but Regina reminded him again, the Rangers Station just couldn’t be secured like her office. He then offered to quit and stay home with the girls until they went to school, but she assured him that wasn’t necessary. 

But Grace, once she hit two, she developed a passion for climbing anything she could attempt to, and once Grace started Hope had to join in with her little sister… It was Snow that gently suggested perhaps the girls might benefit from daycare. She stated Neal loved it and he’d been going since he was a baby. 

The girls separation meltdowns the first day had further fueled Regina’s guilt. But when she picked Hope and Grace up they were all smiles and excited about the fun they’d had. The next morning they had been impatient to go to day care. Since then, baring sickness, they ran ahead to the playroom with a cheerful “Bye mommy!” and didn’t look back. They had made friends quickly, to Regina’s relief. Snow and David’s son Neal was already there, as well as their toddler cousin Cedric, so that helped matters. Like Roland had been with his baby sisters, Hope and Grace were fascinated about their little cousin. They were also quick to defend him against any bullying attempts by the older preschoolers. The girls would squabble with each other over toys, but no one else better try anything with either one of them. Any foolish bully soon learned not to mess with the Locksley-Mills girls. They extended that protection to Neal as well, since he was sort of family, and the boy despite a slight pompous streak, was somewhat timid. 

Once Grace turned three, Robin convinced Regina to let him pick up the girls every other day and take them to the playground in the park after their half day of day care. Since it was part of the park, which was part of the woods he was able to finagle the duties to cover this on his days with the girls. Henry had also spoken to his mother and he would show up after school with Roland and take the girls home and watch them until Robin and Regina got home. 

The girls could have spent the whole work day at day care but neither Regina or Robin wanted that, they liked that hour at work they could spend with the girls before Henry and Roland arrived from school. Often they’d both spend a half hour or more with all four children before Henry would either just walk home from Regina’s office or Emma would run by the ranger’s station in her patrol car and all four kids would pile in for the ride home. It gave Emma some time with Henry, while Roland entertained his younger sisters in the back seat. Regina knew sometimes Emma would stop by Granny’s and treat all four kids to some high calorie desert. Hope had taken it in her head that Emma was somehow their aunt and Grace copied her, Roland decided it sounded good to him too, so Emma was now Aunt Emma to all three of Robin’s kids. Regina had just laughed and said it made as much sense as any of the other crazy family trees in this town. 

Regina was surprised when she walked in that Neal was waiting with her daughters. It looked like he was valiantly trying to hold back a crying jag. Her daughters were patting him on the back and looking adorably concerned. 

“Regina.” Snow had a grim look on her face.

“What’s happened?”

“Neal had a nightmare during naptime.”

“Like ours last week?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. He won’t say what it was.”

Regina’s hands curved into fists and a hint of flames flickered around her fingers. “Now they are going after the children? Enough! We find who’s doing this now. And I don’t care what laws Emma or David have to make up; I want that woman who still calls herself the Mother Superior brought in for questioning.”


	5. chapter 5

Love and Mischief   
Chapter 5

“The Blue fairy has disappeared. Tinkerbelle is trying to track her but she’s found some kind of spell that distorts her trail” Emma looked irritated.

“Damn!” Regina exclaimed. “I know that spell, there’s not an effective counter to it.” 

“Is there something though?” Snow asked

“Not good enough.”

“Perhaps we should refocus on the dream caster then. If they can be found” Robin suggested

“We might stop the nightmares then.” David stated.

Henry walked into Regina’s formal dining room, where this discussion was being held. “Good news is Neal’s nightmare wasn’t like ours, just a normal kid nightmare.” Henry got his young uncle calmed down enough to get a coherent version of the child’s nightmare.

“So they aren’t targeting the kids, yet, but we have no guarantee they won’t.” Regina said letting some of her anger cool.

“Has that fox had any luck tracking, he claims he has some kind of special magic that can help us?” Killian said, annoyed. He didn’t believe that spirit, god or whatever he was actually going to help them. At best he just was doing something till he figured out how to go back to his home on his own. But since he was brought here to cause some kind of problems for them and he had magic, Killian didn’t trust him one bit. 

Belle glared at Killian’s tone. She trusted Inari. He’d always been honest with them. He missed his daughters and she’d do what she could to help him get back home to them. “He knows what type illusion spell the nightmare maker is using to hide herself.”

“So Maleficent was right, it’s a woman?” Regina asked, neutrally.

“Yes, Inari almost caught her two nights ago. He could sense it was a woman.” 

“What happened?”

“She disappeared while under the illusion spell”

“That’s definitely powerful, using two strong spells like that at once. She ‘poofed’ away without showing it either, so maybe even three spells at once.” Regina mused aloud.

“Rumple can teleport like that sometimes” Belle replied

“Because he’s the dark one. He has illusion powers as well, but even he’s not on this level.”

“Yeah. I’ve been researching, and the only beings I’ve found that have powers on that level are gods.”

“So we have another god running loose, giving us nightmares about bad stuff we better fix before it happens, who can hide herself anywhere from anyone. And the only people who have even briefly caught her trail are a dragon and a fox that may or may not be a god and may or may not be helping us.” Killian snapped.

“He is helping!” Belle exclaimed

“Oh like the Crocodile did, huh?”

“No! Inari has always told us the truth!”

“As far as you know! Your ex-husband fooled you lots of times didn’t he?”

“Enough!” Regina shouted “You might want to consider your own early history here, pirate!”

Emma groaned, that would just set Killian off again.

“And what about you, your majesty, the evil queen who cursed a whole town for 28 years, on top of all your other crimes…”

“Like you’re innocent!”

“Stop!” Emma did the silence spell “Look at us, fighting instead of working together, we need to stop this petty name calling about the past and focus on right now.”

Regina let her temper go and nodded.

Belle let a silent breath out and nodded.

Killian grudgingly nodded. 

Emma released the spell. “Okay, from what Belle says, Inari has given us our best lead. I think we should trust him.”

“He’s done nothing so far that makes me doubt him. We should remain cautious but for now yes, we see what he can do.” Regina said.

“Agreed” Snow and David chorused.

Robin nodded as did Belle, then she continued her earlier comment. “As I said, from what I’ve researched the only beings that seem to fit what we’ve seen are some gods. There’s only one of them that is female though.”

“So we may know who she is? This is great information. It gives us an advantage we didn’t have before.” Regina smiled.

“Yes, there’s a Hindu goddess called Maya. She has a number of aspects.”

“Aspects?” Robin asked. 

“Forms. It’s complicated but Hindu deities can have numerous forms. Somehow they are all tied together, but they can be separate too.”

“Now I’m lost” Killian mumbled.

“Yeah it’s complicated. But I’ll just concentrate on the form of Maya that could be our dream caster as Robin put it.”

Robin grinned.

“This Maya is a goddess of illusion-“

“That’s for sure.” Emma commented.

“What makes me think it’s her; Maya sends people dreams to lead them to enlightenment.”

“Having nightmares about how you could die in the next week isn’t exactly what I’d call enlightenment” Killian grumbled. 

“But it saved each one of our lives or health, hasn’t it?” Robin gently countered.

“Aye. Just didn’t like how vividly it depicted my falling from the top rigging of the Jolly Roger and hitting the deck, because I missed a bit of rotten rope. Multiple times, until I hit on the right thing to do so I wouldn’t fall.”

“Nor did I like seeing Regina harmed…” Robin couldn’t bring himself to speak again of the first nightmare where she died; he quickly shut off the memory of that awful dream.

“We all hated the dreams.”

“But Maya isn’t malicious. She doesn’t mean to harm but to help, but she is sometimes called the meddler god because of the dreams.”

“I can see why. Thank goodness she didn’t ‘meddle’ with the dreams of the children.” Snow replied.

“It was traumatizing enough for the adults. And we’re still dealing with some who haven’t had theirs resolved.” Regina looked at Belle.

“Its years away for mine. Maybe Rumple will change his mind too.”

“I wouldn’t count on it, but we’ll do what we can to stop it. If Bae wants to go to him when she’s grown, that’s one thing, but Rumple stealing her from you when her power manifests in a few years, that’s unacceptable.” Regina said firmly and garnered a chorus of affirmative responses. 

Belle smiled at her friends “Thank you.”

“So we have a meddling but well-meaning goddess who gives people nightmares to help them. And a fox god who just wants to get back home to his kids. ” Emma stated.

“And a missing fairy who likely caused this chaos to cause us problems because we’ve undermined her power in this town.” Regina replied.

“But how did she come to pick these two? Neither are from the Enchanted Forest.” Snow mused.

“It just gives evidence she’s working with someone. Someone that has a grudge against us but isn’t from the Enchanted Forest.” Emma said

“I’d say that means it's likely it could be Isaac.” Robin mused.

Regina nodded “If she found him, she could have brought him across the town line and had him hide somewhere.”

“But where, if it is him?” Emma questioned.

“That’s the question. If it is him, then it’s likely she’s used the same spell to hide him from us that she’s used on herself. So finding Maya, if that’s who we’re looking for is where we start. And as we’ve already decided Inari is our best chance at finding her.” Regina replied.

“Shouldn’t one of us go with him when he searches?” David asked.

“If they can make it obvious they aren’t on a mission to catch our elusive dream caster, yes.”

“Think that rules you out, mate” Killian looked at David with a smirk.

“Same goes for you” Regina said to Killian “You’ve made your hostility to Inari nearly as public as Phillip and Aurora”

“So who can go?”

“Belle obviously. Same for Granny. She knows we are looking for the nightmare sender too.”

“Who else?” Emma asked

“You, possibly. Robin, me…”

“What about me, mom?”

Regina nodded. “You too, just be careful.”

“I will.”

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The next morning Regina walked with Inari, using the pretense of being the mayor of Storybrooke as her excuse to accompany him on his search. As mayor she decided it was her responsibility to be the first one to help Inari with the search for this dreamcaster, Maya.

Inari smiled at his companion of the day. He’d heard about this woman’s dark past and her painful but determined journey back to the light. He could see the soft red glow of her light magic surrounding her. “I can see why you are so happily married. Not only are you lovely in appearance, but your heart as well.” 

Regina laughed. The fox spirit was quite a flirt, but was keeping it harmless, with her. “You wouldn’t have thought so if you’d met me seven or eight years ago.”

“I’ve heard stories, but you aren’t that person now.” He could see what looked like fading scars on her magic aura. That was exactly what they were. The remnants of great pain, fading over time to faint lines. 

“A lot of regrets, sacrifices and struggles got me here. Along with a lot of support from my family and friends.”  
“Yes, family does help if they are supportive. My daughters have kept me from becoming a bitter and shut off god. The kindness of many people of your town has restored my desire to help those afflicted by the powerful. And your kindness in particular has reminded me that not all those in power are tyrants.”

High praise indeed, especially as when she cast the curse she had been a truly awful tyrant. But her supposed victory over her enemies proved to be an empty life, in the matter of three days. Then had come the tragic encounter with little Owen and his father. Even in the depths of her madness, she had realized something was truly wrong with her. She had promptly begun therapy sessions with Archie and had thrown herself into the work of making this town a decent place to live. She didn’t realize then, but she had stumbled upon the foundation of what would eventually bring her to the person she was now. “I want to be a good leader, and a good leader is a public servant. I serve the needs of my town, they don’t serve mine.”

“Yes. I have tried to be to be that kind leader in my realm. “Inari grinned “Fox spirits do not respond well to autocratic rulers. I’m afraid we are a bit too chaotic though, we don’t work together quite as well as your town… but I try.”

“But are they content?” Regina wondered aloud. 

“It appears so. They let me keep the little order our realm has and generally without complaint.”

“It sounds like you are a good leader then.” Regina smiled. She recalled the irony of the curse, at least after that first week, when she had decided to pour herself into making Storybrooke work right. Instead of destroying their happiness, she had ended up giving almost everyone a far better life than they’d had in the Enchanted Forest. And even the few she’d actively caused problems for- mostly Snow and David, had embraced their new identities and the town after the curse broke. Both lives mattered to them and the rest of the town. Gradually, as she reformed, they all began to fight for this town and their better lives together. Storybrooke had become their home far more than the Enchanted Forest had ever been. When she took that trip to rescue Robin in New York, she realized she had made a town better than any town in this world. Emma had even told her that during the drive down. 

“Thank you. I hope I am.” Inari stopped abruptly. He sensed residual illusion magic nearby. Sensed the presence of another powerful magic user. He nodded to Regina and pointed with his hand still at his side.

Regina nodded back. 

They cautiously approached a small cave. Inari pointed to himself and motioned toward the cave.

Regina understood, he would go in first; she would follow a few seconds later. She had nullification cuffs in her pocket. Regina didn’t know if it would work on someone as powerful as a goddess, but that was the best plan they came up with. 

Inari found a woman asleep in the cave. Apparently like him, deity or no, she required sleep, just like mortals. He knew some gods didn’t, but apparently that wasn’t the case here.

Regina looked relieved when she saw the woman was asleep. She crept up and quickly put the cuffs on. 

That woke Maya up. Her power had been taken from her, in her sleep! She began to shout and struggle with her captors “Let me go! I’ve done you no harm!”

“Not intentionally, but you’ve caused a lot of emotional pain.” Regina said calmly.

“How? I was helping you!” Maya said with heat as she still struggled to get free.

“You may have intended it that way, but you did it the wrong way.” Inari said gently.  
“How else could I have saved many of you from harm?” Maya replied, glaring, but no longer fighting to flee.  
“Perhaps not so graphically.” 

“But would you have done anything then?” Maya said defensibly.

Regina sighed. She could feel her patience fading. “Perhaps you’ll understand better if you hear from more of your victims.”

“Victims? I was only trying to help!”

“Please come with us; just listen to what others have to say.” Inari said. He understood Maya’s feelings. But as well intended as she was, she had unleashed a painful chaos on these people. That wasn’t the right way to help.

Reluctantly, Maya let them lead her out of the cave.

“We’ll go to my office” Regina said as she got in the front seat of her car. Inari helped Maya into the back seat, then sat beside her.

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Unfortunately, even after hearing other people’s stories, Maya still firmly believed she had done the right thing; she refused to concede that maybe her method had been too harsh. Belle was the only one who still had the patience to keep trying to get through to her. Even Inari was exasperated with her. 

Belle offered Maya the storeroom, which she had converted to an eventual bedroom for her daughter. For now Bae still preferred to sleep in her toddler bed in the same room as her mother. Very few magical items had been left in the storeroom when Rumple had come back the last time. She had asked him point blank to take all the most dangerous magical items with him, now that Bae was walking. 

He had readily agreed, but still asked again if she would reconsider her choice and the two of them could leave Storybrooke with him. Again she told him that she loved him and he could see Bae any time he liked, but she just couldn’t be with him anymore. She had thought they had parted amicably. But that dream, that Rumple would take their daughter away when she began to be able to use magic… Unlike the others, Belle was sympathetic to Maya. She was glad she had been forewarned. She was sympathetic even about how strong a warning the dreams had been. But she understood her friends feelings too. Maybe she could get Maya to gradually understand. 

As she helped Maya settle in for her stay until they could figure out how to get her home as well, Inari walked in the front door of the store.

He motioned to Belle to come into the shop. She glanced back at Maya but she was engrossed looking at the few generally harmless magic items that remained on the shelves. Belle walked out into the store floor. 

“Perhaps I can help enlighten her as well. I think it may just take time.” Inari whispered.

Belle nodded. “I think so too. The others just don’t have patience. I can understand why. But I understand what Maya was doing as well.”

“So you don’t think her methods were too harsh, for you at least.”

“No. I appreciate the warning. Rumple is very powerful and becoming moreso. He keeps craving more and more power. He might want to be as powerful as his mother. Maybe he wants to take over her realm.”

“Who was his mother?”

“She goes by the name the black fairy. She consciously chose to go to dark magic, just like Rumple.”

“Ah, I see why you could not stay with him, nor your child. Dark magic exists in my realm too. The only fox spirits that have been banished from returning were those that turned to dark magic. I accept the chaos that goes along with fox spirit magic, but darkness must not take hold.”

“I kept hoping he’d choose love over darkness, or at least let love be stronger than his drive for power. Sometimes it seemed like he would but always he’d choose power over love. He can love and I know somewhere inside he still does love me and definitely loves our child. I just fear his craving for power will harm all of us, including our child.”

“Yes, lust for power leads to darkness. That darkness overwhelms everything else, eventually.”

“So you think Rumple is doomed?”

“If he can give up his quest for power for love, no. Otherwise....”

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Isaac paced the floor in annoyance. The blue fairy had left him high and dry. He supposed he should be glad that the spell that hid him, even from the other fairies, was still in effect. He couldn’t get their next chaos maker here without her. 

The heroes had found Maya, and while they still had the townspeople’s anxiety about unresolved nightmares, they’d soon find the culprit meant them no real harm. Lingering doubts about Inari would fade as the news he and Regina had caught Maya. They needed someone else to cause more chaos. The one he had in mind would be perfect, not much in the way of magic, just a god level brawler and warrior. Now that would really create some chaos and fast.   
It was tiresome bouncing around from one abandoned place for sale to another; hiding in basements, cellars and backrooms of permanently closed stores. The kind of chaos Finn McCool would unleash in Storybrooke should allow him to come out of hiding. But he could do nothing right now but hold onto the storybook that had his story. If the fairy removed that spell and allowed the heroes to catch him while she disappeared… He’d figure out some way to get back at her.


	6. Chapter 6

Love and Mischief Chapter 6

Inari growled inwardly in frustration. Three days and Maya was still stubbornly insisting she had done nothing wrong. But yet, he also sensed great sadness and loneliness in her. It wasn’t as easy reading this goddess as it was mortals, but still he sensed it. 

He wondered if she could sense his hidden emotions as well. Like her, he also carried eons of sadness and loneliness. The town had done much to ease his bitterness toward humans, the fun he’d had with Granny had restored his mischievous side, and Belle’s friendship helped him not feel so lost here. Kitsu and Mitsue helped the weight of sadness and loneliness. But it still weighed on him and haunted his thoughts. He wondered at Maya’s story, what had given her the same burden

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“It took two days, but Maya seems to trust us enough now to tell us what she knows. The Blue Fairy is behind this. She came to Maya after the first nightmares didn’t affect Tinkerbelle, Nova and Iris. She apparently came up with something that would, and prompted Maya to give them the dreams.” Emma said.

“No confirmation that she’s working with anyone, or who though?” Regina asked.

“She thinks there’s someone else but never saw who. She only saw Blue that one time. She convinced Maya that it was necessary to ‘help’ us. The reason she brought Maya- so we wouldn’t make the big mistakes she’d ‘warned us about’.”

Regina raised her eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“She knew exactly how to manipulate Maya, how to disguise she was lying, even from a goddess.”

“Great. So now we have to convince Maya she was manipulated and that she caused people emotional harm. We’ll have another meeting tonight at my house; let Belle know both Inari and Maya should be there.” 

“Sure.”

“Has Inari made any inroads- getting Maya seeing she hurt people with her dreams?”

“Last I heard, no.”

“Didn’t think so. She’s as stubborn in her beliefs as you were, Ms. Swan.”

This time Emma was the one to raise her eyebrow.

Regina chuckled, “Couldn’t help it, just reminded me.”

Emma’s mouth quirked up briefly into a hint of a smile. “Okay you’re right I was a stubborn self-righteous ass.”

“You said it I didn’t.” Regina smirked. 

“So any ideas how we can get a goddess to realize just maybe she might have hurt a few people?”

Regina nodded. “Yes, I’ll talk to Robin about it, but I have an idea that might work, at least as a start.”

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“What you think, do you think it might be too painful for Roland?” Regina asked.

“He’s sensitive, but he’s more resilient than he appears.” Robin replied.

“I hate to add something else to that list, even if he agrees.”

“He will. He’s old enough now to want to help. You remember how Henry was at his age?”

“Henry was a bit older when you met him, but yes.” Regina laughed ruefully. Perhaps she should talk to Archie about any strategies he might recommend. How to let Roland help but still keep him as safe as she could. Let him see she had noticed he was old enough now to help out sometimes. She had a few strategies, learned the hard way, from dealing with Henry. Robin had complete confidence in her, but if there were more good choices she’d like to know. 

“Okay, I’ll be right back with Roland, we’ll both talk about it with him” Robin left their bedroom and walked down to Roland’s. He was engrossed in a novel. Robin smiled; Regina would be pleased to see that. Roland had been slow to get into reading, at first, but Henry had got him into this book series, both boys were reading it and enthusiastically discussing it.

Robin cleared his throat to get Roland’s attention. “You aren’t in trouble; in fact we want to ask you if you’d like to help us with something.” 

“Yes! I do.” Roland dropped the book on his bed and jumped to his feet.

“I figured you would. But we’d like to tell you what help we need.”

“Like how Henry helps you?”

“Like how he did when he was your age.”

Roland nodded with a grin.

After Roland’s attempt to follow them a few weeks ago, Regina and Robin had sat down with Roland and told him what had happened.

“So Henry and Violet are going to have the kids?”

“In a few years.” Robin smiled.

“After they finish college and start working” Regina added.

“Wow, that’s cool.” 

Regina smiled at how Henry’s influence showed through just then.

****************************************************************************************************

“Remember how scared you were when we told you about the dreams and why we had to do something very fast?” Regina asked softly.

Roland nodded.

“We found the person who sent us those nightmares. Her name is Maya. She isn’t evil, but she doesn’t understand that her dreams hurt some people badly. They are scared and sad.” Robin added.

“Yeah I know. Some are angry too.”

“Yes. Maya is going to come over tonight. We are trying to get her to see that side. Maybe apologize, not hurt people with her nightmares. It’s not wrong she warned us, but the way she did it was wrong.” Regina said.

Robin nodded in agreement “So we want you to tell Maya how much it upset you seeing how upset we were, that it made you really scared and sad.” 

“So do you want me to use my power? To make her feel it more?” Roland asked.

“Only if you feel comfortable doing it” Regina responded. She remembered the first time she consciously used her power; she had been very nervous and scared. Roland was in a much better place than she had been though.

“I do. You told me I should only use this for good. Don’t you think this is using it for good?” 

Regina hugged Roland. “Yes I do. You are very heroic to do this.”

“Yes, you are son. I’m very proud of you.” Robin ruffled his hair.

Roland grinned. They weren’t treating him like a little kid anymore. He’d show them how heroic he could be, how right dad was to be proud. He was going to be a hero like them.

“We’ll have to do it so it doesn’t look staged. Do you understand what that means, Roland?” Regina asked.  
He nodded. “Think so, like I just blurt it out, instead it looking like you told me what to say.”

“Exactly. That’s why we aren’t going to tell you what to say. You just say exactly how you felt.” Robin replied.

“Whatever emotions you really felt let them come out. It’s okay if it makes you cry again, we’re right here.” Regina pulled Roland into a hug.

Roland hugged her back “I might cry, but that doesn’t mean I’m a baby.”

“Not at all. You’ve seen me cry and I’m a grown up.” Regina assured him.

Roland nodded, assured.

Regina remembered her mother sneering at her, at Roland’s age, crying over a broken doll. That was when mother started telling her how weak she was, how ashamed she had such a crybaby daughter. Roland was sensitive, but that didn’t have to be weakness, it could be strength, especially with the nature of his magic. No matter what she’d make sure he never felt ashamed about it. She knew Robin felt the same. 

“That will become empathy, even more than he already has. He got that from Marion. Even though she was only there for a few years of his life. Marion taught me. She was such a good teacher. I think she may have had a touch of magic too, probably why Roland has more than I do.”

“If so, I’m glad Roland is a legacy of that. I’ll do whatever I can to nurture that in him.”

“You already do, my love. “

*************************************************************************************

Regina could see Roland was a bit nervous despite his earlier assurance. Regina was glad that not only was Henry there, but the two boys had worked out a plan. Henry would signal when he thought was the right time. Her oldest child had become a good judge of character over time, and learned how to stay calm in tense moments. The later just seemed to be something uniquely Henry, although she and Robin could put on a show of it for a short time. 

But Henry, he would get this unshakable calm resolve... She’d noticed hints of it in his younger years, but the first time she really saw it was during rescue Wilfred trip to Wonderland. In the Enchanted Forest that would have made him a good battle leader. 

But Regina was glad, despite the various villain incursions since the curse was broken, that Storybrooke was a far more peaceful place than the Enchanted Forest. Far more peaceful than most of the Land Without Magic actually. That illusion barrier had done them a lot of good. It still remained in place even without any magic penalty for crossing over it- other than needing a magic user to find it and talisman to cross over into Storybrooke. 

The “magic token” as Henry called it, was easier to replicate than the scroll they’d formerly used. “And more democratic” Emma had said. Regina had put this change in place last year. Every adult citizen of Storybrooke could apply for one whenever they needed to take a trip outside of town. “It’s like a passport” Emma had said. Then had to explain what a passport was to everyone. Emma bet the Blue Fairy had replicated the talisman to get out and back in town undetected. Regina agreed, the magic she’d used for them was pretty simple. She’d done that on purpose, both to make it less work on her and to make it so commonplace it wouldn’t be worth it to find a magic user that would replicate it without having to submit the paperwork and pay the small fee.

Emma had pushed for a lot of things to make this city more democratic, sometimes to her parents’ objections more than Regina’s. The Charmings, despite David’s humble beginnings, had a more royalist bent than Regina did. Regina was generally willing to give Emma’s democratic suggestions a try. She really did see herself as a public servant. They’d even started holding elections for mayor. Of all people, Albert had run against her two years ago, and promptly lost resoundingly. Emma had laughed at the results, “Hey, at least you’ll be mayor for life democratically now.” 

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Roland looked up at Maya, tears slowly running down his face “I was so scared my mama was going to die or be hurt forever. I lost my first mama when I was real little. Then my daddy died too. Mama Regina got daddy back though, because she has lots of magic. But Daddy only has a little bit of magic, and the dreams said mama could die and we’d all be sad forever…”

Maya began to cry “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I just wanted to help. I did get your mama and daddy to find something that would save her. She’s safe now, don’t cry little one.”

An audible sigh of relief came from several in the room. 

Roland nodded with a shudder, slowly getting his emotions back under control, wiping the tears from his eyes. It was harder than he’d thought but he’d done it, he’d helped.

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“If you don’t mind I’d like to continue talking to Maya. I want to help her. I sense some of the same pain I’ve dealt with in her.” Inari spoke to the others before he left with Belle and Maya. Belle had already gone out to the car with Maya.  
Regina and Robin exchanged a significant look. That sounded a bit like what Robin had said to her a short time after they met during the missing year. When he helped her get back into her castle… Could the fox god be falling for the dreamcaster?

“Fine” Regina said. “I wish we had more progress finding a spell that would get you back home, but your realm is so obscure that we haven’t found anything yet.”

“I understand. It’s just as well. I want to see the people who abducted me… I still want to help find them.” There was a hint of a growl in his words. Inari was not about to forgive those people.

“Thank you. You’ve already helped us finding Maya.”

“The people here have mostly been very kind and friendly. Despite how I was brought here, I’ve enjoyed my time here. I would like to repay your town in some permanent way. I’m afraid I’m not a terribly powerful god, so what I could do would be small. Before I leave though perhaps I can do something?” 

“We wouldn’t want to take advantage of you.”

“No, just consider it a kindness for kindness.”

“Perhaps, then.” Regina nodded with a small smile. There was one thing, if it was within the fox god’s illusion powers…Something that might help them if Gold did eventually follow through with what was in Belle’s dream. A type of illusion spell that Gold might not know, or at least not have the skill level Inari did.


	7. Chapter 7

Love and Mischief Chapter 7

A week later Regina spoke to Archie about Roland.

“Maybe this is just a thing that happens. I messed up so badly with Henry when he was Roland’s age.” Regina sighed.

“You’d just started walking away from the darkness.” Archie replied.

“Not just started. I started 28 years earlier, remember?”

“And you’d progressed a lot. You just needed that shock to get you past where you’d stopped.”

Regina shuddered “A shock I never want to ever have again.”

“I’m certain you won’t. As you’ve said, what is happening with Roland is completely normal. He wants to be more independent. He understands more complex things now.”

“But look what happened to Henry.”

“A lot of that was outside of anything to do with you.”

“Not really. Yes, Pan’s plans were, but most of the rest was because of either things I’d done, or Henry’s connection to me. The same goes for Roland and Hope. Roland has already been traumatized because of his connection to me. Thankfully Hope was just a baby so she won’t remember, but Roland… ”

“That’s not just your worry Regina; it’s every parent in Storybrooke. They worry about someone coming after their children, because of who they are or something they’ve done. It’s not just Storybrooke either. We’ve seen the news stories from outside how a celebrity or politician’s child was harassed or even kidnapped for ransom...”

“That happened in the Enchanted Forest too.” Regina mused.

“Unfortunately, it’s all too common. You’ve actually made this a far safer place than elsewhere.”

“Not just me, a lot of people.”

“But you are one of them.”

“I am.” She nodded.

“You’ve gotten past the fear you’ll slide back into the darkness, you’ve told me how you faced your entire dark past and made atonements for it… Regina, do you know how rare that is, to be willing to do that?”

“Not many people have an encounter with the great mother goddess of the first tales. Tales before there was writing. Tales spoken until they were forgotten. Leaving only a vague memory of the goddess whose only name is the great mother.” 

“That must have been incredible.”

“It was. Neither Robin nor I will ever forget it. She was able to bring Robin back.”

“What you faced sounds like it more than paid the price.”

Regina shook her head. “No. Gold is wrong; all magic doesn’t come with a price. What I faced wasn’t about a price.”

“I’ll admit I don’t understand much about magic. I’m glad to hear he was wrong.”

“Only dark magic demands a price. Light magic doesn’t. If a light magic user demands a price then they either are lying or don’t understand magic. Light magic is about working with the energy, dark is about forcing it. I learned that on Avalon.”

“You teach that to the children that come to your class, don’t you?” 

“Yes, first thing.”

“I’ve spoken with some of them. They admire you quite a bit. They find the stories about your past unbelievable.”

“I don’t hide it from them. I learned with Henry not to do that.”

“It’s not just the children either. Look at the election results.”

“Against Albert.”

“Yes. But even when Snow stands in for you, what happens?”

“Everyone starts complaining about things not getting done.”

“And how many complaints do you get?”

“The usual ones that always complain.”

“Regina, you know your mistakes all too well, but what about your successes and sacrifices? Don’t discount those. We don’t.” 

“That’s what Robin says too.”

“He’s right.”

“His belief in me has never wavered, not for a second.”

“Nor his trust.”

“Yes.”

“He believes in you and trusts you completely. And Henry, once you regained his trust hasn’t he said he believes in you and trusts you?”

“Yes.”

“Then don’t you think you’ll do fine getting Roland through this too?”

“I know I won’t mess up as spectacularly as I did with Henry when he was Roland’s age. But I want to make sure I do the best I can.”

“You will. Your anxiety tells me you’ll do fine.”

Regina smiled lopsidedly “Funny, I don’t feel confident. But okay, you say I’ll do fine. But I want to do better than that. Can you help me with that?”

“What way would you want me to help?”

“I know a few things from the mistakes I made with Henry and how I fixed them. But I want to have more options, things that might work even better.”

Archie smiled. Good. Regina’s anxiety was leading her in the best possible direction. He nodded. “I think the best thing would be to suggest a few books that might be helpful. Robin and you should both read them. Discuss them, and decide whether they sound like something you’d want to add to your options.”

Regina breathed a sigh of relief; glad there was something out there. 

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Now that both Inari and Maya were working with the heroes they joined in with the search for the Blue Fairy. This was both a help and a hindrance. Robin and Emma were searching with the pair in the woods today. 

Emma sighed; Inari and Maya were squabbling again. Not really fighting, it was almost banter, but with a sharper edge to it. “Will they ever stop baiting each other?”

Robin chuckled ruefully. “Sounds like Regina and I during the missing year.”

“You think they are falling in love, then?”

Robin grinned then. “Almost certain. Regina thinks so too.”

“Well you two would certainly be the experts on that.” Emma laughed.

“They’re both lonely, but he’s more used it. She’s bitterer about it. I suspect she’s been alone, and had less respect for her help.”

“And how we reacted to her just reinforced that.”

“He’s trying to reach her, but her bitterness is too strong right now.”

“Wow. So that much like you and Regina, you think?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe Regina should try talking to her then.”

“She’s thought about it. We talked about it last night. But you know Regina; she’s afraid she’ll make it worse rather than better.”

“Yeah. Wish she didn’t beat up on herself so much.”

“I know.” Robin sighed. “We may need to get your mother to talk to Regina.”

“Bossy mom or pep talk mom?” Emma laughed.

Robin smirked. “Perhaps both.”

“Well, at least today, if the Blue Fairy was anywhere near, she’s long gone now. I think, despite Inari’s insistence he wants to help Maya, we should separate them during these searches.”

“Yes. Maybe Regina and Maya could go searching tomorrow. That would give Regina time to talk to Maya. Maybe Maya will tell Regina her story if it’s just them.”

“And they’d be powerful enough to take on the Blue Fairy, should they find her and she fought them.”

“I think Regina would try to reach out to Maya if they weren’t searching with others.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to mom. It’s Regina’s day to pick up the girl’s right?”

“Yes.”

“Great. Mom’s picking up Neal at the same time, perfect chance.”

“Indeed.” Robin chuckled. 

Emma looked back at Maya and Inari. “Hey, looks like the search is a bust again. Let’s head back.”

*************************************************************************

“Regina, I think Maya wants to talk to someone.”

“About what?” Regina had a good idea what this conversation was about, she just wanted to make Snow work for it. She wasn’t a saint, sometimes the remnants of the deeply traumatized eighteen year old girl who had to then cater to the whims of an eight year old resurfaced. This playing obtuse was a safe way to let it out. Sometimes Snow knew it, at which point she would give Regina her version of the “scary mom face” and Regina would feel like a rebellious teenager. Which actually was fun. She could have never done that with her mother- Regina quickly shut down those awful memories...

“Inari says he senses great pain and loneliness in her. She won’t talk to anyone about it.”

“And it’s better to not let those feelings fester. I know.”

“You do know, probably best of all of us. Maybe if you talked to her...”

“She’d tell me. Maybe.”

“Maybe if you talked to her about some of yours-“

“Even now there are things I can only talk to Robin about.” And Archie, but it was easier if it was a session with both Robin and her. Talking about mother. When Regina had struggled to talk about those memories 28 years ago, Archie had mentioned he’d had nightmare parents. That made it a bit easier. Robin talking about his abusive father and distant mother, allowed her to speak of the worst things mother had done. Still, she’d rather just forget. Not ever think of them again. Nor what Leopold had done to her those ten years she was married to him.

“Not those.” Snow stopped and looked Regina in the eyes and clasped her hands. “It’s not right what happened to you. Some of that wouldn’t have happened if the Blue Fairy hadn’t made Isaac change your story. That nightmare childhood I know your mother-“

“Stop.”

“Sorry.” Snow looked contrite.

“It’s okay.” Regina sighed. “I suppose I could talk about the missing year. How I felt then, thinking I’d never see Henry again, and everything else that went on...”

“Your sister.”

“Yeah, my feelings realizing Gold’s gloating letter to my mother- about finding her daughter and how powerful she was, was about Zelena, not me. I never was anything more than a pawn to him.” 

“So he was like a father figure to you?”

“Yes. One that was strong enough to stand up to my mother, had no fear of her. Was so smart and powerful. I was so deluded.” Regina looked disgusted.

“You were so young. Your father was a kind man.”

“But mother broke him. He was afraid to defy her, most the time, afraid of Leopold too.”

“But Gold wasn’t a bit scared of her or him.”

“Mother and Gold were attracted to each other in a kind of warped version of love, even, I think.”

“Your sister too.”

“It was just about her power on his side. My sister… I don’t know what her attraction was to him.”

“Her jealousy over you?”

“I think it was more, I think she wanted him as a partner of some kind, and came to hate him when he rejected that. She wanted more than just lust from him. I don’t know why she’d be jealous over how he felt about me, it was less than he saw her.”

“Maybe it was his obsession over you.”

Regina looked thoughtful. “Maybe…even now he has some kind of weird interest in me. When he came back to visit Belle and Bae the last time, she was working in the library. He was acting like a caring father toward his daughter and talking civilly with Belle. Robin and I came in with the kids. Gold looked over at me...

“I’ve seen it, that look and I heard him say he owned you. It’s worried me.”

“I think though, that obsession of his might be a weakness we can use to protect Bae. Should Gold actually follow through with trying to abduct his daughter in a few years, like in Belle’s dream.

“Regina, be careful. Don’t underestimate how powerful he is. From what Belle said, he’s looking for things that make him even more powerful. He could hurt you or even kill you if he wanted to. Despite his obsession with you, he’s tried to kill you before.”

“I know. I won’t be reckless.”

“Please don’t. And you don’t have to prove how much you’ve changed, how much a hero you are. We all know how good a person you are.”

“I’ve accepted my past, Snow. It’s been a while since I let it loom over everything I do. It’s better since people have come to accept how I’ve changed since I was that person.”

“Most people do, and the ones that don’t....” Snow scowled “They’re ones that have plenty they need to account for too.”

“Oh yes, Albert, Keith, Phillip and Aurora...” 

“Exactly. I used to think Phillip and Aurora were innocent victims... but they did things too.”

“And have no guilt over it.”

“I know.” Snow looked disappointed. “I’ve tried to tell them but-“

“Their minds are still in the Enchanted Forest.”

“Yes. They don’t seem to realize that’s why they don’t have many friends.”

“Other than some of the other former royals.”

“And Mulan for some reason.”

“Because she helped them.”

“And because she had feelings for Aurora.”

“Really? Doesn’t seem like her type. She and Rebecka are so happy. Even though Rebecka’s not a fighter she’s not lived a pampered life.”

Snow shrugged “You never know who you might fall for. I would have never expected someone like David would be my true love. And what about you and Robin?”

“True. Who would have guessed we’d be soulmates? Daniel and I were much more likely.” 

Snow nodded. “So you’ll talk to Maya?”

“Sure.”

*******************************************************************************************

Regina and Maya sat by the lake the next day.

“Thank you for helping us.”

Maya looked solemn “It’s the least I could do. I am truly sorry I caused people pain. I just thought I was helping.”

Regina nodded. “In some cases, like Belle, she was glad for the warning, all of us are, really. In my and Robin’s case you saved my life and health so we are thankful, but I think we would have preferred being approached with this danger in better way.”

“And some yelled at me for meddling in their lives. They didn’t want to know at all. I don’t understand that.”

“Some people believe in fate and don’t believe they should know. I don’t agree, but that’s how some people feel.”

“They doom themselves pointlessly then.”

“Yes, they do.”

Maya sighed. “It’s not the first time I’ve been called a meddler. Some of the other aspects even call me that. No one has much respect for me.”

“That’s starting to change with some of us in Storybrooke.”

“Yes. Belle has been very kind. I think I understand friendship now. I never had a friend before.”

“It gets very lonely without one.”

“But you have so many now. And love of many too.”

“I spent many years alone and disliked”. Hated actually, Regina thought. “I became so bitter I went mad.”

Maya’s eyes went wide. “To fall so far... I’ve feared it. I’ve felt bitterness in my heart. I pushed it away. This is my duty, I must accept it.”

“Do you have to? Remember what you said about the people who believe fate rules them? What if you changed your duty, changed your life?”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“Maybe you could talk to Inari. I think he’s been through a similar situation.”

Maya looked faintly annoyed but blushed as well. “He’s always offering to help me. But I know how he’s ‘helped’ mortal women. I don’t need that kind of help.”

Regina smiled faintly, the same attraction/annoyance tone she had toward Robin during the missing year. “Still he’s a very kind man, adores his daughters, misses them terribly.”

“Yes, that was so cruel of them to take him away from his family. I don’t have a family, but I see how beautiful it is to have a good family in people’s dreams. How much pain the loss or even separation causes.”

“Yes. It’s happened to me.”

“And it hurt you a great deal. I saw a hint of that in your dream.”

Regina nodded, thinking of those times...

“So you think talking to Inari might help me?”

“I do. “

Maya shrugged. “Maybe I will then.”

**************************************************************************************

“Finally!” Isaac said in exasperation as the Blue Fairy stepped into his current hiding spot.  
She glared back at him. “Do you know how many times I almost got caught trying to get to where you were hiding the past two weeks?”

Isaac waved his hands in apologetic way. “Never mind, I have the next one chosen. He’s not quite a god but he’s really powerful, causes lots of damage, has a temper. Really causes some chaos.”

“Who?”

“Fionn MacCool.”

“The name sounds vaguely familiar.”

“Sort of a giant, but not like the Enchanted Forest version, like the real world, just a really tall guy. One of those legendary warrior types.”

“Hmm, so he’d probably start fighting before he’d ask any questions if we brought him here.”

“Oh yeah, no doubt about that.”

“Good. That will occupy everyone while we get to my hiding place.”

“Didn’t you say you’d almost been caught several times? Why not here. I’ve stayed here five days and no one’s found me.”

“That’s because of the spell I put on you. When we bring this Fionn MacCool over all my magic has to be concentrated on that. The strong magic users will see the magic trail and know where we are. We’ll have to leave immediately after.”

“Fine. So how long till we can do this?”

“Do you have the book?”

“Right here, even opened to the page” Isaac pointed to the table.

“I need to get the things for the spell.”

“You didn’t bring them with you?”

“No. Why should I when I can do this?” She waved her wand and several objects appeared on the table.

“Okay, then, let’s get started.”

**********************************************************************************

Maya walked with Inari near the cave where she had hid.

“I worry I’m becoming too bitter. I’m not very valued as it is... if I become bitterer I may lose my status entirely.”

“They would take away your goddess status?”

“I’m just an aspect. There are myriads of us, if I become too bitter at my fate I will become even less, someone else will take on my aspect.”

“On top of what they already are.”

“Yes.”

“So they’ll probably shun you.”

“They already mostly do. I’m a nuisance, they say.”

“No you aren’t. You help people. You have more direct contact than most aspects, I bet.”

“And what good does it? I see bad things, but I also see the joys of mortals’ lives. I have none of that. My life is always the same, my duty.”

“Until you were brought here. We didn’t choose this, but haven’t we both found some happiness here we didn’t have before?”

Maya nodded.

“I’ve been struggling with bitterness too. Not because of my duties, but at the cruelties I saw in this world.”

“Is it worse than other times?” Maya looked at him skeptically.

“No. It’s just I hadn’t seen them so directly in the past. I realize that now.” He faintly smiled. “I also realized I was letting my loneliness steal away the joy I had in living.”

“But you have children, you aren’t alone like me.”

“My daughters are my joy and they do help me be less lonely. But there are other types of loneliness.”

“Romantic love, yes?”

“Yes. The ones I have with mortals, they cure the loneliness, for a while. But all too soon, it ends.”

“Why don’t fox spirits fall in love with each other then?”

“Sometimes we do. My older daughter, she thinks she is hiding it from me, but she is in love with a younger fox spirit. He is close to her age. So in love he’s ventured little outside of the fox spirit realm for quite a while.”

“Why is she hiding it from you?”

“She doesn’t want me to be sad that she might leave to make her own family.”

“But you are happy, aren’t you?”

“I am. But I fear if I say anything, she will foolishly breakup with him.”

“If we can find a way to break the spell that keeps us here, perhaps I could come and give her a dream to let her know she can choose this love.”

“I’d like that.” Inari looked her with gratefulness and he admitted, something more. He felt drawn to her, in a way more deeply than he’d been attracted to mortals…


	8. Chapter 8

Love and Mischief Chapter 8

“Mom, Violet and I are going to walk back to the house.” Henry said to Regina, as he walked toward the door of Granny’s.

“Okay.” Regina smiled “Be careful.”

“We will.”

Regina and Robin had treated their kids and Violet to movie and dinner at Granny’s. At three and a half Grace was finally old enough she could sit through a short movie, so Regina figured out one that would be entertaining for Roland, Hope and Grace but not too childish for adults. It had gone well, so Robin and Regina figured they could add this in as an occasional treat for the kids. 

“You got more fries than me” Hope pouted and pointed to Roland’s plate. Regina and Robin had let the kids get whatever they wanted for tonight, and once Roland had chosen chili and fries both Hope and Grace did too.”  
“Did not. We all got the same.” Roland countered.

Regina and Robin sighed; Hope was at the age now where she would start squabbles with her siblings, sometimes Grace, but most often Roland. Regina had spoken to Archie about this. “This isn’t because her mother was Zelena, is it?”

“No, it’s perfectly normal. Just typical sibling rivalry. She sees Roland getting to do more things by himself now and is jealous of that. She’ll likely extend that to feeling all adults, other than perhaps Henry and Violet, favor Roland over her.”

“But I can’t let her do those things yet, she’s only four, Roland’s ten.”

“Exactly, but she’s too young to understand that yet.”

“So what do I do?”

“Explain to her that she’ll be able to do those things when she’s his age.”

“But she seems to understand that about Henry. She never squabbles with him, unless he teases her and provokes her temper.”

“Henry has always been almost an adult to her. Other than when he’s acting like a typical sibling to her, she idolizes him. Roland, though, even though he’s six years older and goes to school, has otherwise been treated pretty similarly to her. But recently he’s been treated as more grown up than her.”

“But Grace doesn’t do this. She’ll join in when Hope starts it, but she doesn’t start the bickering.”

“She’s not quite mature enough yet. Plus to her, its Hope she compares herself to, not Roland...”

“Roland is more to her what Henry is to Hope?”

“Yes.”

Regina nodded. Grace had just recently started to act more like a child than a toddler. To her Henry would always be an adult. Where Roland was the big brother she, mostly, idolized. Hope had done that to a degree as well when she was younger, but now he was just her brother who got to do more things than her.

Before the squabble could escalate more, Leroy burst into the diner yelling “Giant!”

“What’s going on?” Emma stood up from a booth on the other side of the dinner.

Regina hadn’t noticed Emma and Hook at the booth when they all had trooped in a half hour ago. But Roland, Hope and Grace were all pretty wired up from the movie and being allowed to pick out whatever they wanted to eat… too preoccupied herding their rambunctious “kittens” to a booth to notice anyone else. 

Regina and Robin both stood up as well. Grace and Hope moved in close to Robin and Regina like they’d been told to do if danger approached. Roland said worriedly “Henry and Violet are out there.”

Regina looked down and nodded, she was ready to run and find them. She didn’t have to. 

A breathless Henry and Violet ran back into the diner. Henry took a deep breath and said anxiously “Moms! There’s a big guy down the street yelling words I can’t understand and throwing and breaking stuff.”

“Please don’t tell he’s green and in ripped pants” Emma muttered.

“Green?” Killian looked confused.

“Comic book superhero, Bruce Banner, also known as the Hulk. Please don’t tell me we will now have superheroes tearing up Storybrooke.” Regina said irritated.

“No, it’s not the Hulk, moms. He’s blonde and dressed in Enchanted Forest type clothes.”

Both women looked relieved.

“The guy is real strong though. He threw a car.”

“Was anyone hurt?”

“Not yet.”

“Well then, we stop him before he does.” Regina said. 

Leroy ran out the door “That way!” He pointed down the street.

Regina and Emma ran. Hook ran after them.

Robin held back Henry and Violet from following. “Stay back here. If you go Roland will want to follow.”

They nodded. 

Granny came out to the doorway “What the hell is happening now?”

“Big guy, not a giant, but really strong, is throwing stuff down the street.”

“Better not come here.” Granny patted the crossbow she’d armed herself with.

“My moms will stop him.”

Robin walked a short way down the street, then looked back at the kids. “I can see what’s going on now. Stay back there. Emma and Regina are there now.”

***********************************************************************

Well he isn’t quite a giant, at least, Regina thought. But definitely, as Henry said, a big man. Regina immobilized him so he couldn’t do any more property damage. She stayed behind him while Emma ran to the front of him. The spell angered him even more. 

Emma winced at the volume of the large blond haired man’s yells. “Stop! We aren’t going to hurt you!” Emma screamed back.

The man glared and shouted with rage. 

“What’s he yelling? I can’t understand it either.” Emma shouted over to Regina.

“It’s an old language, dead even in the Enchanted Forest. “

“You know it though?”

“Yes.”

“So what’s he saying?”

“What I expected. We’ve got another abducted person.” Regina wasn’t going to mention most of the words since Emma confronted him were insults about her parentage and other rude comments... 

“Person? So is he a god?” Emma looked worried.

“Don’t think so. I think I might have an idea who he is. I think I saw him once.”

“When?” Emma did a spell that silenced the large man’s shouting, and just in case, his hearing as well. If Regina knew him he probably understood what people were saying.

“Just a few years ago, on Avalon.”

“Thank goodness. I thought-“

“He might be someone I hurt when I was the Evil Queen, right?”

“Well yeah.” Emma shrugged 

“Understood.” Regina said neutrally. Okay, let me try talking to him. Will you go tell Robin, Henry and everyone what’s going on?”

“Sure. Hey, Killian stay here, we don’t know how this guy might react.”

He nodded and Emma ran back to Robin.

Regina broke Emma’s spell, but kept her own still holding him in place. His loud shouts filled the air again. Regina stepped into the large man’s line of sight. ”Fionn McCool?”

The man stopped yelling and looked at her with relief. 

Regina broke the immobilization spell.

He nodded, then spoke rapidly in the same language.

“Bit too fast, I only caught part of it. Do you remember how to speak English?”

Fionn looked embarrassed “My apologies for the damages I caused, Lady Regina. Do you know how I came to be here in your land?”

“Just Regina is fine. We have an idea. Someone has been abducting people and just dropping them here, causing all kinds of chaos. The other two are gods, but it looks like they’re changing their tactics now.”

“Abducting someone from Avalon takes a great deal of power. It’s also a high magical crime.”

“Wow, so there’s an actual criminal law in magic?” Emma said as she returned with Robin. Henry, Violet, Roland, Hope and Grace stopped behind them. 

“In the oldest magics, yes. Avalon is still ruled by those laws. Abducting someone from Avalon unbalances magic between the realms; that is why it’s a high crime.”

“High crime, does that mean a death penalty?” Emma asked, concerned.

“No. But if the magic can indeed be traced to a person or persons the punishment is severe. No one has even tried for nearly a thousand years.”

“We think we know who is doing this, but they’re using magic to hide themselves. We haven’t caught them.” Regina said.

*******************************************************************************

At the same time on Avalon.

“We found him, Brigid.” Mout pointed to the image in the reflecting pool.

“That’s the place called Storybrooke.” Brigid said.

“Yes. I think I can give a bit more power to the spell so we can hear them.” Morgan said.

“Thank you, mother.”   
The spell activated in time to hear the conversation between Regina, Fionn and Emma.

“I think one of us could go through. There’s enough magic to spare. They need help finding who is doing this. Fionn’s magic is too minimal.”

“I’ll go, mother.”

“There’s possibility you may be stuck there, at least for a while.”

“All the better it’s me then. Fionn is my chosen partner, my true love.”

Morgan looked at her daughter, then at Mout.

Mout nodded. “She’s the best choice.”

Morgan thought of the last time she’d voluntarily let her daughter leave Avalon. Brigid had fallen in love with a handsome young man visiting Avalon. With some hesitation she allowed them to marry and leave Avalon. While Bres had been considerate to Brigid and a good father, he had been a harsh king to the people of his country. Warfare broke out between a neighboring country when their three boys were young men. Bres and their eldest child were killed. A grieving heartbroken Brigid returned to Avalon with her two younger sons. The neighboring kingdom won the war and the people preferred the ruler of the other kingdom. They’d been allowed to leave safely but could never return. Brigid’s sons chaffed at the peaceful life on Avalon and left after a few months. They had eventually met the same fate as their father and brother, dying in battle. Morgan had feared this when Brigid had left years earlier. She had hoped that Brigid’s feelings would have been just a passing attraction, as had happened to her with Brigid’s father.  
Dagda had been a braggart but charming. Even taller than Fionn, a brawny man with bright red hair, startling green eyes and a ready laugh. Time had eased the horrors of Morgan’s youth, she and Mout had been partners for some years. She adored Mout’s children and began to wish to have one as well. She spoke to Mout about it. Mout smiled and said “I could tell. We will watch for those that come here. Watch for one that is kind and will not try to hold control over the child.”

A few years later Dagda had come to Avalon on a quest for knowledge. While Morgan helped him look through their records she inexplicably began to like the silly man. When she broached the question he had grinned “Of course I’ll help! Aren’t you helping me?” He had agreed to having no claim over the child, but hoped she’d let him visit from time to time. 

Mout had shaken her head in bemusement when Morgan told her just who she had chosen. “My dear, you are tiny, and he is a rather large man. The child could take after him. This will be your first child.”

“So you think I should tell him I’ve changed my mind?’

“Only if you don’t feel ready to deal with possibly giving birth to a big baby. He clearly is a kindhearted man and only wishes what we’d readily grant.”

Morgan decided she would risk it. Dagda had been as kind, gentle and playful as a lover as he’d been otherwise. Once Morgan was certain she was pregnant and Dagda had found the information he’d needed, he left. Morgan did somewhat regret he’d been such a large man, when indeed Brigid had taken after him, being a large a sturdy girl since even before she was born. Once Brigid was born though, none of that mattered. Dagda had visited from time to time as Brigid grew up, thoroughly charming his daughter each time. He seemed quite proud of Brigid’s sharp mind, laughing that she’d got that from her mother, not him! Brigid took after Dagda not only in stature but in looks, his light skin, bright green eyes, and hair a warm chestnut. Dagda died a warrior’s death not long after Brigid reached adulthood. They held a memorial ceremony for him on Avalon. Her daughter had lost so much, her partner Fionn had a similar tale of loss, which had been what drew them together. She couldn’t cause her daughter more pain by refusing her plea,

“Both of you are right.” Morgan sighed.

“Thank you mother. I’m also the best at spell tracing. I’ll find who took Fionn.”

*****************************************************************************************************

Brigid stepped through the portal onto the main street of Storybrooke, not far from where Fionn was still speaking with Regina and the others.

Fionn spotted her. “Brigid! He shouted. “Did they bring you here too?”

She smiled and ran to embrace him. “No, mother and everyone made a portal spell.”

“That would use a lot of energy… “

“They’ll be okay, mother said so. But it may be a while before they can open the portal again.”

“At least we’re together.”

“Yes. But I came here for another reason, one that I must do right away. I can trace the spell that brought you here and find the ones responsible.”

Fionn nodded and stepped slightly away. Brigid pointed her finger at him and traced a small circle. A saffron beam of light went from Fionn to a point off in the distance. Regina immediately ran in the direction the beam lead. Emma, Inari, and Maya followed behind her. Maleficent and Tinkerbelle transformed and followed the light beam from the air. 

“Damn! She’s moved!” Emma shouted.

“I know! But the light’s still tracking her, that way!” Regina yelled back

Tinkerbelle flew down in her fairy form. “Maleficent found them! They’re at the old mine!”

“Thanks!” Regina stopped and quickly poofed herself there. Just in time too. Regina didn’t know where this new level of magic had come from, but the blue fairy was winning against Maleficent. Mal had transformed back to human form and was clearly tiring. Regina threw an immobilization spell at the fairy. When it struck successfully Regina ran to Maleficent “Are you okay?”

She laughed. “No, but not badly hurt. That spell won’t last long.”

“I know. Hopefully long enough!”

Emma, Inari and Maya ran into clearing. 

Regina sighed with relief. 

Tinkerbelle landed beside her. “I don’t know what she’s done, but she’s stronger than she ever was. I’d have no chance fighting her. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. See that other line?”

“The one going in the mine?”

“Yes. That has to be whoever was working with her, probably Isaac. Whatever magic he might have can’t be much.”  
Tinkerbelle nodded.

“While we’re fighting her, go get Isaac. We can definitely catch him. I’m betting she needs him for this. If we have him...”

“We’ve got a bargaining chip! Okay!” Tinkerbelle transformed and quickly flew past Blue into the mine.

Regina saw her spell was fading “Get ready to fight, everyone.”

Inari whispered to Maya, then replied to Regina. “We have an idea. Something that uses both Maya and my illusion and dream magics.”

“Whatever it is, you better do it now!” Emma exclaimed as the Blue Fairy broke Regina’s spell.

“Don’t know how strong this will be, hopefully strong enough!” Inari cried out as he threw what looked like foxfire at the fairy.

The Blue fairy jerked as the light engulfed her. 

“You got her!” Maya grinned at Inari. “My turn now!” A fuchsia glow surrounded the Blue Fairy and she fell to the ground. “Tinkerbelle helped me change it just a bit more.” Maya pointed to the Blue Fairy “Now she gets the dreams.”  
Tinkerbelle walked out of the mine with a dazed, stumbling Isaac in tow. “Half dose of the sleep dust.” She shoved his shoulders down and he flopped to the ground, landing on his ass. Emma hurried over and slapped handcuffs on him. I

Isaac muttered incoherently at her.

“Good! You’ve caught them!” Brigid shouted as she and Fionn arrived at the mine entrance.

“She’s very powerful, she’s broken everything we’ve tried to hold her with so far.” Regina replied.

“Yes, she’s breaking that one now. Let me try. This will be a battle though.”

Emma saw some townspeople had followed. “Everyone, stay back.”

“You might want to as well.” Brigid said as the Blue Fairy broke the spell and sent a blast of magic their way. Brigid blocked that one with ease, but she knew the fairy was just testing her limits. 

Everyone else moved back. Tinkerbelle helped Maleficent back to the cover of the trees. 

Emma led a mumbling, staggering Isaac back to her father, then walked partly back to where she had been. Ready to back up Brigid if need be. 

Regina ran into Robin’s embrace, at the clearings edge. “Henry and Violet are staying in the SUV with Roland and the girls.” He told her.

“Good. This is no place for children.”

“You think the fairy would hurt the children?”

“No, not deliberately. She’s not that far gone. I think. But she’s going to be throwing powerful magic around and it could injure by accident anyone nearby.” Then she stepped away from Robin and spoke with volume and authority “No one that’s not a strong magic user” She looked at Maleficent “that still has most of their strength, should be anywhere near the mine entrance. Everyone else should go back to town for their own safety.” 

“You heard the mayor” David said in his commanding leader voice. 

Most turned back to town but Killian, Leroy, Granny, Robin, Rebecka and Mulan stayed, as did Fionn.

“Not leaving.” Leroy held his miners axe.

Me either.” Granny patted her crossbow.

“Aye, same with me.” Killian looked toward Emma. “Besides,” he grinned “I have this” He waved his hook.

“If someone else gets injured I can heal them. I need to stay.” Rebecka said firmly.

“And since Rebecka is staying so am I.” Mulan rested her hand on her sword pommel.

“I’ll be staying as well, Regina.” Robin looked her in the eyes. “Not leaving your side, not when we know how dangerous this is.”  
“Alright. You all can stay, but stay back in the trees.” Regina stepped back to the clearing but remained closer to them than Emma. 

Fionn walked over and stood beside Regina. “Got my orders too.” He grinned. “I have some magic, but it’s mainly strength. This is a magic against magic fight.”

“I read the stories. Was your life as tragic as in the tales?”

“Depends on what ones you read. You had a lot a tragedy too I heard.”

“Yes. And that woman” Regina pointed at the Blue Fairy “was the cause of some of them.”

“So this is the fairy that altered your story?”

“Yes.”

“How you must hate her.”

“I did when I found out what she did. But I managed to overcome the damage she’d done and recover the best parts of my lost story.” Regina smiled back toward Robin. “I knew that aggravated her, so I got some small measure of justice.”

“Yes, your soulmate. I remember your visits to Avalon. Brigid and I were on the other side of the island when you arrived, but we were back before you left. We also attended your wedding on our island.”

“That’s my fondest memory of Avalon. Someday I’d like to take the girls back there for a visit. Hope was just a baby and Grace wasn’t born yet. I imagine Roland would beg to go and Robin certainly would want to come too.”

“And your oldest?”

“So you remember Henry?”

“I saw him with Robin and Roland wandering through our island’s woods. I didn’t stop to speak with them, the children were avidly taking in everything your husband was saying. I wouldn’t intrude on such a happy family moment. I saw Henry at the wedding as well.”

“Henry’s grown up now. He has a girlfriend. They are in love. I’m pretty sure they’ll get married soon.”

“So he’ll be a bit too preoccupied.” Fionn smiled.

Before Regina could reply Brigid cursed “Damn! What magic did you steal to have nearly my power?” Keeping her eyes on the fairy but speaking to everyone else she said “I can hold my own, but this is going to be a standoff.”

Emma sent a blast of magic toward the fairy, but she merely deflected it and sent it back. Emma ducked and the blast smashed into a tree, sending a branch flying in Regina’s direction.

“Regina!” Robin cried out.

She hit the dirt and the large branch zipped over her head, slamming to the ground nearby with a crash.

“It’s no good trying that, she’s using her full power!” Brigid yelled. 

Regina nodded as she got back to her feet. She grimaced and brushed off the dirt from her clothes as she moved back next to Robin. 

He hugged her tight. “You got down fast enough? Okay?”

“Yeah.” 

Emma growled in frustration and stomped back next to Killian. “Even I can’t do anything!” 

“Love, the fairy’s in a standoff with a goddess, and a powerful one at that. She’s been hiding just how strong she is from all of us for years.”

“Brigid said she stole that kind of power from somewhere. It must have been a hell of a strong whatever.”

“Aye. Hope Brigid can wear the fairy down.”

***********************************************************************************  
The fight showed no signs of ending a half hour later. 

“I can see the start of fatigue in the Blue Fairy, but she’s still got a lot of reserves.” Rebecka noted.

“What about Brigid, is she okay?” Fionn asked

“Gods and Goddess are a bit hard for me to read, but from what I can tell no fatigue yet.”

Granny grumbled “Well, think I’ll go back to the diner, probably need me there more than here.” She headed back toward town.

“I’m staying.” Leroy glared at the others. “Want to see that fairy get hers, what she did to Nova and me... Don’t care if I have to wait all night.”

“Nobody’s saying you have to leave.” Emma said “That woman screwed up most of our lives in some way.”

“Yeah. She ain’t apologized for any of that either, unlike the mayor, here, did for what she did. Stuff that only happened because of what that plague did to her story.”

And that, Regina thought, was the closest Leroy would ever express as forgiving and showing sympathy for her. It was more than she ever expected from the dwarf, actually. “Thank you Leroy.”

He shrugged, “It’s the truth.”

“It is.” Robin said softly and gently pulled Regina closer again. Regina relaxed against Robin’s chest. 

The earth began to shake slightly beneath their feet, then a gust of wind driven mist blanketed the area.

“What the hell?” Emma exclaimed.

David and Snow came running toward them “What’s going on?” David yelled.

Inari and Maya were right behind them. “That’s not an illusion spell, it’s real.” Maya said.

“It’s not from them.” Rebecka pointed toward the two women still fighting, although the Blue fairy seemed more distracted than Brigid by the abrupt natural events.

Then there was a blinding flash of light, when it cleared everyone was locked in place. A woman with ebony colored skin and a multicolored ankle length tunic dress strode toward them with a stern look. She glanced at Regina, Robin and their friends and a brief smile crossed her face. 

“It’s the great mother goddess” Regina said with surprise and awe. 

“That’s her? The one that brought Robin back to life?” Emma said with surprise.

“I did not bring him back alone, even I do not have that power. Regina and Robin himself along with me brought him back to life.” The great mother said as she turned toward the two immobile combatants.

“Did they call you here like with the others?” Robin asked.

The goddess laughed mockingly. “They could not. I came here to bring magic back in balance. They have caused magical damage across all the realms.” The great mother glared at the Blue fairy. “They have committed a magical crime so severe that I must address it.”

The Blue fairy looked defiant but her eyes showed fear.

The great mother released everyone but the blue fairy from the spell. 

Brigid relaxed then bowed to the first goddess. “Thank you great mother.”

“You are quite welcome, child.” 

Fionn hurried over to Brigid and then also bowed to the great mother goddess. He then took Brigid’s hand and they walked back to the others.

“Should I go get Isaac from the jail?” David asked.

“No need.” With just a movement of her little finger Isaac appeared in the clearing. He was still immobile like the blue fairy. Unlike the fairy though, Isaac’s eyes were terrified. 

“It was all her idea;“ Isaac looked toward the fairy. “I just did it because she said I’d have some magic back if I did!” Isaac frantically lied.

“If that was the truth it would make your crime even worse.” The goddess said with deadly calmness. “The truth is you both acted out of rage that your power to manipulate others had been taken away or lessened. You wanted to punish those that had taken this away from you. What you did though not only was wrong but it unbalanced magic across all the realms. This is the worst of the magical crimes, because it could have so severely damaged every realm, even this one with the strongest protections on it’s magic. It’s not a “land without magic” but the land of protected magic, magic in this realm is intimately connected with the wellbeing of the planet itself.”

“My curse that brought us here, created Storybrooke, did it cause damage?” Regina asked worriedly.

The great mother looked back at Regina and smiled gently. “No. It not only takes from the ley line, but gives back.”

Emma laughed “An ecofriendly curse, only you could have done that Regina.”

“And now we know why so many of the children are showing healing magic. Light magic healers give back to our magical source even more than we take.” Rebecka said.

“Moms!” Henry cried out in anxiety as he crested the hill.

“We’re fine Henry.” Regina said reassuredly.

Roland was right behind him and made a beeline to her and Robin, closely followed by Hope and Grace. 

Violet brought up the rear of the group with Belle and her daughter. Violet joined Henry and said “I told you they’d be okay.” she said with a smile.

“Yeah.” Henry smiled back at her, then they walked over to Regina and Robin.

The goddess had turned back toward the Blue fairy and Isaac. 

With a wave of her hand Isaac disappeared. 

“What happened to him?” Emma asked.

“The most severe punishment that can be done to an author.”

“Complete insanity.” Regina responded.

Snow looked shocked for a moment, then remembered from reading Regina and Robin’s quest story, “Like the author that cursed the women of Regina’s family…”

“Uh. you aren’t leaving him to wander crazy alone out there?” Robin asked.

“No. I can be compassionate. He is in what this world calls a “mental institution”. I have slightly altered his life story. A relative had him committed some time ago, when he began to, as they say, ‘exhibit signs of severe schizophrenia’, so severe he was unable to care for himself.”

“What about her?” Inari asked with an edge of anger, pointing at the Blue Fairy.

“Her punishment will be different. In addition to what she did with Isaac she also drained all the magic out of a ley line in this realm.”

“That’s how you got all that power! Do you realize how serious the damage that causes?” Brigid was livid with anger.

“The Dark One has done the same thing.” the Blue Fairy said defiantly. 

“No, he hasn’t, not yet, at least.” The great mother goddess responded coolly.

“So Rumple has been doing something with them though?” Belle said, dismayed.

“Yes, but he has been wiser. He has taken small amounts of energy from many ley lines. While this is not a violation and will not cause damage, it is considered unethical and those that protect the magic of this realm are keeping watch.”

“I think I know one of those guys.” Emma said “Neal met him.”

The great mother chuckled. “Most are women. But yes, he is one of the guardians.”

“You know who I’m talking about?”

“Yes, the man known as the Dragon.”

Mulan gasped. “The Dragon exists in this realm?”

“Yes. He is the guardian spirit of your clan, correct?”

“Yes!”

“Perhaps you and Rebecka should meet him then.”

“I’d like that.”

“I believe Emma can help you locate him. “ She then held out a small medallion with a dragon inscribed on it.  
Mulan took it and said softly “We had a larger one in the family shrine that looked just like this.”

“Wear it when you meet him. He will already know who you are, but this will be proof.”

“Thank you.” Mulan bowed deeply to the goddess then returned to Rebecka’s side with a bright smile.

Rebecka took her hand and gave it a warm squeeze. That is the happiest I’ve ever seen her, she thought.

The great mother goddess then returned her attention to the Blue Fairy. “You have committed two of the most serious magical crimes. You have also committed other serious magical crimes, asking the author to rewrite Regina’s story to suit your selfish and destructive aims, unjustly punishing Tinkerbelle for trying to fulfil part of her fate, despite what you had already done to Regina’s story, cruelly punishing Nova and Leroy for something that should never have been punished, collaborating in a scheme with Gepetto that lead to Emma being brought here as a helpless newborn without her mother, something that would not have to had happened if you hadn’t changed Regina story. And centuries before that you interfered in Baelfire’s story, you gave him the magical bean that you knew would separate the Dark One from his son-“

“The Dark One was not suitable to raise a child.”

“That was not your decision to make. Your irresponsible action then triggered the sequence of events that you further manipulated.”

“Funny how you let Regina be raised by a mother far more unsuitable than Gold was a father, and even blocked me from being her fairy godmother.” Tinkerbelle snapped at the Blue Fairy.

The Blue fairy made no reply, pursing her lips in contempt.

“You will lose all your magic. This will restore most of the power you stole from the ley line. You will be sent back to the Enchanted Forest, to Avalon, in fairy size, where they can decide if further payment is needed for your crimes.” The great mother goddess intoned 

“No!”  
The great mother goddess pointed at the Blue Fairy, in a flash of light she disappeared.

Inari grinned, he could feel his all his magic was back. He playfully made a visible fox tail appear and let it lightly thump the side of Maya’s hip. The dreamcaster goddess rolled her eyes. but a hint of a smile crossed her face. She quickly reached down and grabbed the tail. Inari smirked, then they both laughed. 

“The portals to your realms are open to you now. You can leave whenever you wish.” The great mother glanced toward Inari and Maya, then Brigid and Fionn.

Brigid and Fionn bowed to her again, Inari and Maya quickly followed the gesture.

The great mother then walked over to Regina, Robin and their family. She picked up Grace. “So little one, do you remember me? We met before you were born.”

Grace’s eyes went wide, and she solemnly nodded.

“I thought you would.” Then she smiled down at Hope. 

Hope gazed up in awe. “You’ve got lots of magic and are really old.”

The goddess laughed. “Indeed I am. I am from the first tales, before there were books.”

“Wow!” Roland exclaimed.

The goddess smiled at him. “You have a good magic to lead others, like your father. Use it wisely.”

Roland nodded his head vigorously “I will!”

“Maybe I could write your story, so people will know you now.” Henry said.

“You were a good choice for the new author. I believe you will be the one for many years. If the pen directs you, you should write this story. Perhaps someday you will get the whole tale.”

Henry nodded. “I hope so.”

She then looked at Violet. “Power comes in many forms, not all are meant to be fighters. It doesn’t make you less.”

“I want to be like Rebecka, a healer.” Violet replied. 

“And your magic and skills with herbs is already indispensable, with your pharmacy degree, that much more.” Rebecka said.

Maya walked up to the elder goddess “I want to change my fate, is it possible?”

“If you can think of changing your fate, it is.”

“I still could be the aspect, but I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

“Then you shouldn’t be. “

“I want to help Inari.”

“I think that would be good for both of you. “

“You do?”

“You want to help others have a happier life, but as a part of their lives, not just an observer. “

“Yes!”

“Look how much happier you are, even now. Now think about how much happier you would be if you could have free choice on where you go.”

Maya nodded and walked back to Inari.

The great mother goddess turned to Regina and Robin and smiled warmly. “You are content now.”

“We are.” they answered together, then laughed.

“I cannot stay much longer. I was able to cross here because it had become so unbalanced it threatened all the realms. I have reset the balance, so I must return home now.”

“Wait.” Belle pleaded, holding her daughter’s hand. “You said Rumple was using the powers of many ley lines. Do you know what he’s doing?”

The goddess walked over to Belle and smiled down at Bae. Then she looked solemnly at Belle. “I cannot tell what he is planning, I only feel the disruption.”

“The curse, it must have-“ 

“Yes, but because of its nature, although it was a massive disruption, it was brief. Magic was able to adjust to the new realm. The Blue Fairy and this dark one were also cunning enough to make sure the range was limited and came nowhere near Avalon.”

“So you’re saying the Blue Fairy created the curse?” Emma shook her head incredulously. 

“Yes. Gold stole it and tinkered with it to suit his aims. Then manipulated Regina into casting it. Regina’s small additions actually lessened the damage dramatically.”

“Must have been my suppressed light magic side unconsciously influencing me.” Regina smiled lopsidedly. “I was so far gone into dark madness...”

“But it ended up being a good thing, not just for you, but us too,” Snow said joining the group, David and little Neal following her.

“In the long run.” Regina countered.

“Yes, in the long run, but it still was.” Then Snow asked the goddess “Rebecka was able to help Neal a bit, but can you give him back what Zelena stole from him?”

“I don’t think you should’ve asked her that, Snow.”

“It’s fine for her to ask. I cannot give back what was taken, but I can do more than what Rebecka could. If you want this Neal?”

“Yes!” The young boy nodded his head vigorously.

“Hmm, probably feels like you’re missing something.”

“Yeah.”

“What I can do is to fully heal the damaged pathways. That will open you up to potentially being as strong as you should have been. But it will take work. “

“Can you see what element type he is? The pathways were too damaged for me to tell even after I did what I could.” Rebecka asked.

“Yes, there’s no magic aura, yet, but there will be once I finish. Neal is an air element.”

“Oh, like Roberta.” Robin said. 

Neal looked around and saw the older girl talking with Maleficent and Tinkerbelle. He liked her, she would play with him sometimes when she came with her mom or dad to pick up baby Cedric from daycare. 

“Yes. Perhaps she could help him when his magic ability activates in a few years.” the goddess said. Then she spoke to Neal again. “This will hurt a little bit, do you still want to do it?”

Neal nodded.

David started to object, but Snow pulled on his arm. When he looked at her she shook her head no and said “No David, it’s his choice, we have to let him. It’s very important to him.”

A soft multicolor glow surrounded Neal. Neal grimaced but did not cry out. After a few minutes the light faded. The goddess bent down and gave the young boy a kiss on the forehead. “You are a very brave boy.” Then she stepped back. 

Snow swept in and hugged her son tightly, then let David do the same.

Emma looked on with mixed feelings, happy for him, a bit envious, and ashamed of the later. 

“Shame same couldn’t be done for you, love.” Killian said

“It’s okay. I don’t need an element. I’m strong without one. And I know my parents love me too. Neal had a lot more damage done to him magically than I did.” 

Snow and David looked over at Emma then and smiled at her. 

Neal ran over to her and tackle hugged her.

“Hey kiddo.” Emma laughed. She looked over at Killian. “It’s fine.”

“Aye, it is.”

**************************************************************************************

Shortly after the great mother goddess returned to her home. But not before one last bit of warning. “Although I cannot see exactly what Gold is planning with the ley line energy it feels like something dangerous.”

Belle nodded. “We’re all worried. And it might involve using Bae’s magic in some way. Maya’s dream warned me of that.”

“Yes. Guard the child as best you can.”

*************************************************************************************************

“We should go back to Avalon now.” Brigid said and Fionn nodded.

“We should head to my realm as well.” Inari said smiling down at Maya.

“Perhaps you could stay voluntarily one more day? Tomorrow is our summer harbor festival. A lot of people in town would like to thank you for your help; that would give them a chance.” Regina said.

“The great mother did say the portals would be open to us any time we wanted to leave.” Fionn nodded. “I’d like to stay for this festival.”

Brigid laughed. “Just say the word festival and Fionn’s there.”

“I suppose we can stay one more day as well.” Maya smiled.

“Lots of food, dancing?” Inari asked excitedly.

“Oh, I like dancing too.” Maya looked at Inari with amusement and a bit of something else.

“Yes to both” Regina replied then looked at Robin with a smirk. Maya had actually given Inari a flirtatious glance. Their guess had proven correct.

Granny spoke up then “Just so happens I’ve got one empty room for tonight and tomorrow.”

“We’ll take it Brigid said.


	9. Love and Mischief Chapter 9

Love and Mischief Chapter 9

The next afternoon, Brigid and Fionn were walking toward the festival grounds in Storybrooke.

“Mother spoke to me in a dream last night. She said the great mother’s spell not only opened the portal for us, it restored the energy they had to use to get me here. They have the former Blue Fairy locked in a room they made her size. The council is discussing if any further punishment is needed .” Brigid said.

“They’ll probably ask us to testify once we get back.” Fionn replied.

“Yes. Not only about what happened with us, but what we heard directly from others. They have the evidence from the Enchanted Forest and some from here but we have the words directly from the victims.”

“Including Maya and Inari.”

“Yes.” Then Brigid looked at Fionn concerned. “How is the youth spell holding up? Feeling any weakening of it?”

“No, but I won’t push it. We’ll go home at the end of the festival.”

Brigid nodded. As a goddess she could look any way she wished. Fionn, although his grandfather was a god, he was mostly mortal. When he had arrived at Avalon he had been old and in failing health. The waters of Avalon had quickly restored his health but when he fell in love with Brigid he wanted to be a young man again. They found a spell that would be as permanent as he wished on Avalon but outside of Avalon it would begin to fade over time. 

****************************************************************************************************

“You certainly do love to eat.” Maya teased. Inari had sampled food from every booth. Maya had stuck to only the vegetarian food, after two booths she was quite full. 

He grinned at her. “Fox spirit’s magic consumes a lot of energy.”

“Like the way you keep making your tail appear and disappear?”

He smirked.

*************************************************************************************************************

Regina and Robin strolled slowly through the festival grounds holding hands. Grace had hold of her other hand and Hope of her father’s. Roland, Roberta and Matthew were ahead of them, running to a booth that had a game to play. Rowena and Wilfred were walking behind them with Cedric in a stroller. Cedric was fussing because he could walk quite well now and wanted to get out of the stroller, but the toddler was far too young to be trying to walk in the crowds. Regina and Robin brought the duo child stroller for Hope and Grace later on. Henry and Violet had gone off on their own as soon as they got to the grounds, but promised to meet up for dinner.

“So for now we have peace again.” Regina said

“We have some time to just enjoy things before Gold acts; if Belle’s dream is right.” Robin replied.

“Everyone else’s dream was, so it’s likely. We’ll need to prepare.”

“Unfortunately, other than we think he’ll try to abduct Bae, we don’t know what he’ll do.”

“I have some idea. He’s gathering power from ley lines and from what Belle saw once, magical objects. He’s trying to make himself the most powerful magic user ever. His mother was a fairy so he can take in and hold more magic than someone like me.”

“The Blue Fairy took the magic of one ley line and was as powerful as Brigid...”

“Gold knows not to take too much from a ley line. He knows how to get away with things. But if he’s taking some from all the ley lines he can find, and I bet he is....”

“But what is he planning?”

“When we were dealing with Gold trying to manipulate Emma to fall into darkness, he said something. He talked about taking control of all of this world with his magic. At that time, even with the power level he had, that wasn’t possible.”  
“But with the power he’s gathered now…”

“And continues to gather; it might be possible. Unfortunately he’s done nothing that proves that’s what he’s doing. A power obsession, isn’t a crime, it’s a sickness.”

“It’s insanity to think he have a whole planet under his control.”

“It is, but that’s what’s driven him for quite a while. He’s embraced the darkness willingly and its consumed him.”

“What about Storybrooke?”

“I thought he’d just written us off as unimportant. Plus everyone knows how he is. But now I think we have another piece of the puzzle. Storybrooke’s ley line isn’t just low powered, but it’s set up to self-rengerate, when you take from it you give to it as well.”

“And he wants to keep all his power and get more.”

“Yes. So we are essentially useless to him. The only thing he wants here is his daughter. While her magic is mostly dormant and he’s not ready to launch his plan, she’s safe here. Both in our eyes and his. We found out there are powerful magic users out there watching him already. If he tips his hand too much they can go after him. I think he’s too cunning. He knows the rules, he won’t break them until he’s ready to act.”

“So we wait and watch the best we can.”

“Yes.”

***************************************************************************************************

Those worries were in the back of Belle’s mind as well, but for now she was enjoying watching Bae’s excited reactions to the festival. She was old enough now to understand a little of what was going on around her. It was also amusing to watch the playful flirting between her friends Maya and Inari. Belle was sad they would be leaving soon but Inari had a family and it looked like Maya might soon be part of that family. For that she was happy. Granny was displeased Inari was leaving too. He had brought in more people to her diner, plus that crazy fling Granny and Inari had. Even after Inari and Granny had ended that they still were pulling the occasional prank on someone. Granny had complained that it wouldn’t be as fun alone.

******************************************************************************************

“So you have two moms like me?” Henry asked Brigid.

“Yes. Morgan is my birth mother and Mout is my foster mother. Just one father though.”

“Oh. Yeah I kind of have two dads as well. I didn’t know my birth father very long before he died. Robin’s been kind of my dad the last few years. Roland is like that about my mom. He just barely remembers his birth mom. But mom kind of adopted him like she did me.”

“so Regina is Roland's foster mother and Robin is your foster father, then?”

“Yeah kind of like that. My birth mom is kind of uncomfortable with the mom stuff. But she’s still my other mom. My little sister Hope kind of picked up on that and for some reason decided she was her aunt.” Henry laughed. “So my baby sister Grace, she’s younger than Hope, started calling her Aunt Emma too, and since Roland is their half brother, he thought maybe that’s how things were here and started calling her that too.”

Fionn grinned. “I have even you beat. Three mothers and three fathers. I never met my birth father though, he was killed in battle before I was born. My mother went to her sister-in-laws home. My aunt was married and also had a partner. The three of them lived together. My mother lived there as well during my earliest years. Then she fell in love with a king. When they married I refused to go. To me, my aunt Bodhmall, her husband Fiacal and partner Liath were my family. I loved my birth mother, but her new husband Gleor was a stranger. I stayed with them until my early teens. It was probably best I did. My grandfather Tadgh had a murderous hatred of me. He hated my father and it was a solider loyal to my grandfather who killed him. My mother had run off with him rather than marry who my grandfather wanted her to marry.”

“That’s a lot like what happened to my mom, but it was her mom that killed her boyfriend Daniel and made her marry a king who abused her. Mom tried to run away even after Daniel was killed, but her mom Cora tracked her down and forced her to marry Leopold.”

Fionn nodded. “From what mother said, she and my father were happy in the short time they had together. After my grandfather died, mother invited me to court. So that’s how King Gleor came to be my foster father. By that time they had three children, my brothers Fithel and Feinnidh and my sister Uirne. I was several years old so they were in awe of me. “ Fionn smiled in fond memory. 

“So what happened?” Violet asked.

“Oh too much war and tragedy; although my sister and one of my brothers had happy marriages. And King Gleor was good to my mother and to all the children, including me. Despite all that happened around me, I had a pretty good childhood.”

“As did I” Brigid added. “My adult life outside of Avalon, like Fionn’s, had too much war and tragedy. We kind of healed each other when we fell in love on Avalon, a second chance for long lasting happiness.”

“Like my mom and Robin.”

“Yes.” 

********************************************************************************

Grace squealed with so much delight on the Merry-Go-Round that Regina suspected her daughter would love horses as much as she did. Perhaps it was time to get the girls ponies. Hope had asked one day after Robin had put both girls in front of him on his horse, and let it trot around the ranger station. Grace had been so comfortable she had fallen asleep. But Hope had been quietly wide eyed with excitement. Regina thought Hope was a bit young then, she was barely two. Regina told her maybe someday. 

Grace was three and half now though, and Hope was over four. There was one place that had ponies... maybe for Christmas. Grace would be four then and Hope almost five. Roland wasn’t as enthusiastic about horses, but he knew how to ride his father’s horse. Henry, she glanced back at Violet and him good naturedly riding the Merry-Go-Round, at Hope’s insistence, had developed a fondness for horses after he began dating Violet. Her future daughter-in-law was as passionate about horses as she’d been at that age. 

As they were leaving the Merry-Go-Round Snow called out to her. Regina hadn’t realized she had been on the ride with little Neal.

“Regina, I’m so glad Neal will be okay now, thanks to that amazing woman. I read about how she helped you and Robin, but I had no idea she’d end up helping us too.”

“She’s the great mother goddess. I’m in awe of her. Henry wants to write her story so she won’t be forgotten anymore.”  
“I can’t even imagine how long she’s lived. Before there was writing! I don’t have magic-“

“I think you do, it’s just dormant. Remember, in that messed up story Isaac wrote you were able to use magic. “

“I thought it was just because of the story.”

“I don’t think so; you know how you are so good at tracking? I think that’s a bit of your magic coming out.”

“Really?”

“Uh huh. I think Emma and Neal both have magic because of you. Not all true love couples have kids with magic; in fact, most don’t. “

“Oh. That’s true.” Then she looked solemn. “Do you think the Blue Fairy knew this when she persuaded Isaac to change the story?”

“I’m sure of it. She saw the magical potential in your family, probably your mother’s, wasn’t she the fairy for her family?”

“Yes, she was.”

“Neal’s magic potential is probably what Emma’s would have naturally been, had the story not been manipulated.”

“I think so too. I’m glad everything was finally put right.”

“Kind of, but the cost of it being wrong was far too high.”

“Yes. But our lives are far better here than they were in the Enchanted Forest.”

“Agreed. If only we could have come here in a better way.”

Snow clasped Regina’s hands. “That’s the past, Regina. I understand part of you will never forgive yourself for all that.   
But you’ve done your penance, and done so much good for many years now. A whole generation is growing up seeing you as a hero.”

“I know. But that’s why I have to remember. I don’t let it drown me in self-hatred. It’s just a thing I need to do.”

“Okay.”

The festival ended with a concert featuring various Storybrooke musical groups. There was a small orchestra performance first as dusk fell, then a jazz band, next a rock band and finishing with a folk music group. Chairs were set up near the stage, but a large open space was left for anyone that wished to dance. The weather was clear and comfortably cool so a fair number of people were dancing. 

Robin had even persuaded Regina to dance a few times, even though she still felt embarrassment about her lack of dancing skills. Robin and the children were the only ones that could wheedle her into a dance or two. Of course with the girls it didn’t really matter; their “dancing” was whatever way they decided to move to the music. They just wanted her to pick them up and swing them around “like daddy”. Roland still liked to “steal her away” from his daddy on the dance floor. Roland was showing signs of considerable dancing skills lately, due to having taken a dance class. He was one of the best ones in the class the teacher told Robin and her. He still valiantly tried to patiently teach her how to dance, she’d try every time, and she was a bit better than she had been thanks to that. Henry mostly just added his voice to Robin’s to persuade her to dance with Robin in public. 

She loved dancing with Robin, even with her lack of skills, and he certainly never seemed to mind that. He, on the other hand was very skillful a dancer; he could usually disguise her missteps with some flourish and a grin. She suspected he secretly liked her lack of skill, because it was one thing he was far better at than her. When she had teasingly suggested as such once, he had laughed seductively and pulled her into a passionate kiss, which had turned into a wonderful night of lovemaking. They’d been alone in their bedroom , playfully sort of dancing to the low music from the radio, readying for bed… Regina lips turned up into a faint smile.

Robin whispered into her ear. “Ah that smile…perhaps after the children are asleep we can do another type of dancing.” He smirked seductively as she turned and coyly flirtatiously glanced at him, then giggled girlishly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This finishes part 2 of the trilogy. I'll be posting the first chapter of part 3 of the trilogy- "Resolution", very soon.


End file.
